Flight crew of a super MD80 descended below the MEA during descent clearance on a STAR arrival.

Attributes
ACN	435572
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bce.vortac
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : nootn.nootn2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	435572
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	435460
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Bce 203 degree radial, 50 DME. We were cleared to cross phigg at 11000 ft. After descending below FL240, we noticed that the segment MEA was FL240. We had already descended through that altitude. Captain and I discussed matter after flight and feel that the correct course of action would have been to comply with all MEA altitudes on the arrival. Nothing was said to us from ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A SUPER MD80 DSNDED BELOW THE MEA DURING DSCNT CLRNC ON A STAR ARR.

Narrative: BCE 203 DEG RADIAL, 50 DME. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS PHIGG AT 11000 FT. AFTER DSNDING BELOW FL240, WE NOTICED THAT THE SEGMENT MEA WAS FL240. WE HAD ALREADY DSNDED THROUGH THAT ALT. CAPT AND I DISCUSSED MATTER AFTER FLT AND FEEL THAT THE CORRECT COURSE OF ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO COMPLY WITH ALL MEA ALTS ON THE ARR. NOTHING WAS SAID TO US FROM ATC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.