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A B737-400 crew attempts to make a near impossible crossing restr after ATC had delayed the descent from FL230 27 mi southwest of hlg, wv.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 478960 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200007 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10270 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc tracon : pit.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors arrival star : wiske |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 478960 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 478963 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Cruising at FL230(?) we were given a clearance to proceed direct to hlg VOR (wheeling), best forward speed, and then to cross 10 NM from hlg at 10000 ft. We were already 27 NM from this fix when we received the clearance. The first officer began programming the FMC for the new route (speed and crossing fix and altitude). Already pressed for distance, I made reference to begin a descent using vertical speed while he continued to program the FMC. Beyond the normal descent point for a normal descent, I took control of the aircraft and began a maximum rate of descent to make the crossing restr (now 15 NM away). In the rush, we forgot to reset the altimeter and were actually 270 ft high at the crossing fix. Supplemental information from acn 478963: we started at FL230 flying the wiske 2 arrival into pit. Was turned off STAR on a heading then given crossing restr 10 mi west of hlg at 10000 ft, maximum forward speed. As it turns out, I began programming the FMC being new to this model. Big mistake. Wheeling was not our original clearance and I lost situational awareness regarding our position in relation to hlg (monitor mmj) was our original clearance. I was behind the aircraft and the captain suggested a manual descent. I had started us down at 300 FPM with the vertical speed mode, autoplt engaged while I programmed the FMC. Captain realized our situation, became the PF, and set 330 KTS level change and speed brakes deploy. The aircraft exceeded the barber pole by approximately 5 KTS. I should have just tuned in the medium large transport VOR and flown manually using raw data. My mistake. Boy, did I learn from this. Were actually about 270 ft high. A heading for vectors to ILS runway 32 before our crossing restr saved our bacon. No conflict to my knowledge. Fly first -- type later.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-400 CREW ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE XING RESTR AFTER ATC HAD DELAYED THE DSCNT FROM FL230 27 MI SW OF HLG, WV.
Narrative: CRUISING AT FL230(?) WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO HLG VOR (WHEELING), BEST FORWARD SPD, AND THEN TO CROSS 10 NM FROM HLG AT 10000 FT. WE WERE ALREADY 27 NM FROM THIS FIX WHEN WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC. THE FO BEGAN PROGRAMMING THE FMC FOR THE NEW RTE (SPD AND XING FIX AND ALT). ALREADY PRESSED FOR DISTANCE, I MADE REF TO BEGIN A DSCNT USING VERT SPD WHILE HE CONTINUED TO PROGRAM THE FMC. BEYOND THE NORMAL DSCNT POINT FOR A NORMAL DSCNT, I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND BEGAN A MAX RATE OF DSCNT TO MAKE THE XING RESTR (NOW 15 NM AWAY). IN THE RUSH, WE FORGOT TO RESET THE ALTIMETER AND WERE ACTUALLY 270 FT HIGH AT THE XING FIX. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 478963: WE STARTED AT FL230 FLYING THE WISKE 2 ARR INTO PIT. WAS TURNED OFF STAR ON A HDG THEN GIVEN XING RESTR 10 MI W OF HLG AT 10000 FT, MAX FORWARD SPD. AS IT TURNS OUT, I BEGAN PROGRAMMING THE FMC BEING NEW TO THIS MODEL. BIG MISTAKE. WHEELING WAS NOT OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC AND I LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS REGARDING OUR POS IN RELATION TO HLG (MONITOR MMJ) WAS OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC. I WAS BEHIND THE ACFT AND THE CAPT SUGGESTED A MANUAL DSCNT. I HAD STARTED US DOWN AT 300 FPM WITH THE VERT SPD MODE, AUTOPLT ENGAGED WHILE I PROGRAMMED THE FMC. CAPT REALIZED OUR SIT, BECAME THE PF, AND SET 330 KTS LEVEL CHANGE AND SPD BRAKES DEPLOY. THE ACFT EXCEEDED THE BARBER POLE BY APPROX 5 KTS. I SHOULD HAVE JUST TUNED IN THE MLG VOR AND FLOWN MANUALLY USING RAW DATA. MY MISTAKE. BOY, DID I LEARN FROM THIS. WERE ACTUALLY ABOUT 270 FT HIGH. A HDG FOR VECTORS TO ILS RWY 32 BEFORE OUR XING RESTR SAVED OUR BACON. NO CONFLICT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. FLY FIRST -- TYPE LATER.
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.