A B747 flight crew crossed a fix above the assigned altitude on descent into den.

Attributes
ACN	447710
Time
Date	199908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fqf.vortac
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d01.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Route In Use	arrival star : larks2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	447710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	447289
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Original flight plan included the powdr arrival. Approaching denver, the controller changed it to the larks arrival. During the descent we crossed larks above the altitude as cleared by the controller. Possible cause: activity involving programming of INS and briefing/preparing for descent/approach and associated changes. Possible prevention: 'heads up' from controller farther in advance in order to give more preparation time and multiple reviews of the new arrival on the part of the crew in order to develop higher situational awareness. Supplemental information from acn 447289: busy reprogramming INS. Controller gave heads up only 10 NM from fix.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 FLC CROSSED A FIX ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT ON DSCNT INTO DEN.

Narrative: ORIGINAL FLT PLAN INCLUDED THE POWDR ARR. APCHING DENVER, THE CTLR CHANGED IT TO THE LARKS ARR. DURING THE DSCNT WE CROSSED LARKS ABOVE THE ALT AS CLRED BY THE CTLR. POSSIBLE CAUSE: ACTIVITY INVOLVING PROGRAMMING OF INS AND BRIEFING/PREPARING FOR DSCNT/APCH AND ASSOCIATED CHANGES. POSSIBLE PREVENTION: 'HEADS UP' FROM CTLR FARTHER IN ADVANCE IN ORDER TO GIVE MORE PREPARATION TIME AND MULTIPLE REVIEWS OF THE NEW ARR ON THE PART OF THE CREW IN ORDER TO DEVELOP HIGHER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 447289: BUSY REPROGRAMMING INS. CTLR GAVE HEADS UP ONLY 10 NM FROM FIX.

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.