Narrative:

The captain who was flying was told to 'cross smo (santa monica) VOR at 8000 ft then descend to and maintain 4000 ft MSL. Per company technique I, first officer, PNF, put the 8000 ft restr in the FMS to cross smo at or above 8000 ft MSL. We were at 10000 ft MSL. I then put 4000 ft in the altitude autoplt warning window per standard technique. I noted the captain start a descent out of 10000 ft MSL and advised him we were 26 mi from smo and only had 2000 ft to descend prior to smo. He acknowledged. Approach then gave us a runway change. Per the 'electric jet' requirements I then went head down/inside and began loading the newly assigned runway into the FMS and turned the ILS receiver to the new frequencys. When I looked up the captain was descending through 7000 ft on his way to 4000 ft and at least 10 NM prior to smo (should cross smo at 8000 ft). I corrected him, approach then said level and cross smo at 7000 ft. We complied. The primary reason for the deviation was the captain's decision to descend manually, thereby not allowing the FMS to capture the altitude at 8000 ft to smo as programmed. Had the captain used the FMS as it was intended, no deviation would have taken place. Some pilots are reluctant to use the FMS/computers, etc, to their maximum potential and hand-fly when it may not be appropriate as some kind of a machismo statement. Modern jets (B757/767) are meant to be flown using FMS computers and flight directors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACR CARGO LINER HAD ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: THE CAPT WHO WAS FLYING WAS TOLD TO 'CROSS SMO (SANTA MONICA) VOR AT 8000 FT THEN DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT MSL. PER COMPANY TECHNIQUE I, FO, PNF, PUT THE 8000 FT RESTR IN THE FMS TO CROSS SMO AT OR ABOVE 8000 FT MSL. WE WERE AT 10000 FT MSL. I THEN PUT 4000 FT IN THE ALT AUTOPLT WARNING WINDOW PER STANDARD TECHNIQUE. I NOTED THE CAPT START A DSCNT OUT OF 10000 FT MSL AND ADVISED HIM WE WERE 26 MI FROM SMO AND ONLY HAD 2000 FT TO DSND PRIOR TO SMO. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. APCH THEN GAVE US A RWY CHANGE. PER THE 'ELECTRIC JET' REQUIREMENTS I THEN WENT HEAD DOWN/INSIDE AND BEGAN LOADING THE NEWLY ASSIGNED RWY INTO THE FMS AND TURNED THE ILS RECEIVER TO THE NEW FREQS. WHEN I LOOKED UP THE CAPT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT ON HIS WAY TO 4000 FT AND AT LEAST 10 NM PRIOR TO SMO (SHOULD CROSS SMO AT 8000 FT). I CORRECTED HIM, APCH THEN SAID LEVEL AND CROSS SMO AT 7000 FT. WE COMPLIED. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THE DEV WAS THE CAPT'S DECISION TO DSND MANUALLY, THEREBY NOT ALLOWING THE FMS TO CAPTURE THE ALT AT 8000 FT TO SMO AS PROGRAMMED. HAD THE CAPT USED THE FMS AS IT WAS INTENDED, NO DEV WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE. SOME PLTS ARE RELUCTANT TO USE THE FMS/COMPUTERS, ETC, TO THEIR MAX POTENTIAL AND HAND-FLY WHEN IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE AS SOME KIND OF A MACHISMO STATEMENT. MODERN JETS (B757/767) ARE MEANT TO BE FLOWN USING FMS COMPUTERS AND FLT DIRECTORS.

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.