Mdt crew may not have complied with assigned crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	449788
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : stw.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 4900 flight time type : 1205
ASRS Report	449788
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

How problem arose: on sep/xa/99 on IFR flight mdw to fok, ZOB handed off ZNY. We were given an assigned heading and frequency change to ZNY and advised that ZNY 'will have new routing.' after contacting ZNY, we were instructed to maintain heading. After a while we were given entirely new routing and then frequency change. After frequency change we were then given clearance to 'cross 15 NM west of stw VOR at FL230.' contributing factors: short time span between new clearance and crossing restr. Loading new clearance into FMS. New copilot unfamiliar with FMS. Supervision of copilot loading new clearance into FMS. Poor ATC coordination. Inability to obtain amended clearance from ATC due to frequency congestion. How it was discovered: while helping copilot load FMS, I noticed that autoplt was decreasing descent rate in anticipation of leveloff. High descent rate was necessary to make crossing restr (in excess of 5500 FPM). I did not anticipate autoplt doing this and noticed aircraft was still 'leveling' to FL230 after crossing 15 NM of stw VOR. Corrective actions: better ATC coordination. Give more time between new clearance and crossing restr. Give more time to meet crossing restrs so extreme rates of descent are not required. Better crew coordination in programming FMS. Less frequency congestion. ATC controllers need to know more about the airplanes they are controling!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT CREW MAY NOT HAVE COMPLIED WITH ASSIGNED XING RESTR.

Narrative: HOW PROB AROSE: ON SEP/XA/99 ON IFR FLT MDW TO FOK, ZOB HANDED OFF ZNY. WE WERE GIVEN AN ASSIGNED HDG AND FREQ CHANGE TO ZNY AND ADVISED THAT ZNY 'WILL HAVE NEW ROUTING.' AFTER CONTACTING ZNY, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN HDG. AFTER A WHILE WE WERE GIVEN ENTIRELY NEW ROUTING AND THEN FREQ CHANGE. AFTER FREQ CHANGE WE WERE THEN GIVEN CLRNC TO 'CROSS 15 NM W OF STW VOR AT FL230.' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SHORT TIME SPAN BTWN NEW CLRNC AND XING RESTR. LOADING NEW CLRNC INTO FMS. NEW COPLT UNFAMILIAR WITH FMS. SUPERVISION OF COPLT LOADING NEW CLRNC INTO FMS. POOR ATC COORD. INABILITY TO OBTAIN AMENDED CLRNC FROM ATC DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: WHILE HELPING COPLT LOAD FMS, I NOTICED THAT AUTOPLT WAS DECREASING DSCNT RATE IN ANTICIPATION OF LEVELOFF. HIGH DSCNT RATE WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE XING RESTR (IN EXCESS OF 5500 FPM). I DID NOT ANTICIPATE AUTOPLT DOING THIS AND NOTICED ACFT WAS STILL 'LEVELING' TO FL230 AFTER XING 15 NM OF STW VOR. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: BETTER ATC COORD. GIVE MORE TIME BTWN NEW CLRNC AND XING RESTR. GIVE MORE TIME TO MEET XING RESTRS SO EXTREME RATES OF DSCNT ARE NOT REQUIRED. BETTER CREW COORD IN PROGRAMMING FMS. LESS FREQ CONGESTION. ATC CTLRS NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE AIRPLANES THEY ARE CTLING!

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.