Narrative:

Received clearance from ZNY, 'cross 15 mi north of balance VOR at 12000 ft.' read back clearance PF, copilot loaded point in mcdu on A320 airbus navigation computer. Both pilots verified on navigation display proper symbology for making restr -- magenta color fix in this case. ZNY turned over to balance approach, check-in accomplished. Some small talk between controller and PNF about wkend traffic followed. After several mins of descent, it became apparent from map display that restr was not going to be met. Simultaneously, approach called asking our altitude. We responded 17000 ft. Only a few mi from crossing point reached 15300 ft at point instead of 12000 ft. Balance approach changed clearance to read 'cross balance VOR at 10000 ft.' read back and complied with. Wrong coordination placed in mcdu (navigation computer) was culprit. Computer showed making restr since it would have made a 360 degree turn at waypoint. So we were in error by not xchking pilot input in computer. On ground, I called balance approach on commercial telephone. They stated 'no problem, no conflicting traffic, no report required.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PF FO OF AN AIRBUS A320 MISPROGRAMMED THE NAV COMPUTER WITH THE WRONG COORDINATES RESULTING IN AN ALT XING RESTR NOT BEING MET DURING DSCNT.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC FROM ZNY, 'CROSS 15 MI N OF BAL VOR AT 12000 FT.' READ BACK CLRNC PF, COPLT LOADED POINT IN MCDU ON A320 AIRBUS NAV COMPUTER. BOTH PLTS VERIFIED ON NAV DISPLAY PROPER SYMBOLOGY FOR MAKING RESTR -- MAGENTA COLOR FIX IN THIS CASE. ZNY TURNED OVER TO BAL APCH, CHK-IN ACCOMPLISHED. SOME SMALL TALK BTWN CTLR AND PNF ABOUT WKEND TFC FOLLOWED. AFTER SEVERAL MINS OF DSCNT, IT BECAME APPARENT FROM MAP DISPLAY THAT RESTR WAS NOT GOING TO BE MET. SIMULTANEOUSLY, APCH CALLED ASKING OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED 17000 FT. ONLY A FEW MI FROM XING POINT REACHED 15300 FT AT POINT INSTEAD OF 12000 FT. BAL APCH CHANGED CLRNC TO READ 'CROSS BAL VOR AT 10000 FT.' READ BACK AND COMPLIED WITH. WRONG COORD PLACED IN MCDU (NAV COMPUTER) WAS CULPRIT. COMPUTER SHOWED MAKING RESTR SINCE IT WOULD HAVE MADE A 360 DEG TURN AT WAYPOINT. SO WE WERE IN ERROR BY NOT XCHKING PLT INPUT IN COMPUTER. ON GND, I CALLED BAL APCH ON COMMERCIAL TELEPHONE. THEY STATED 'NO PROB, NO CONFLICTING TFC, NO RPT REQUIRED.'

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.