MD88 flight crew misprogram FMS and undershoot ZDC fak crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	505500
Time
Date	200103
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fak.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	505500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	505806
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Center gave us crossing restr 15 mi west of fak at 9000 ft. I checked our position, started down and programmed a point into FMS 20 mi west of fak. Then (I think) I didn't put the 9000 ft into the FMS. Consequently, the FMS never showed we were high for the restr. I checked the navigation display for the vertical high/low information several times on the descent, but it showed we were ok, since 9000 ft wasn't in the FMS. Center called us 15 mi west of fak and asked what our restr was. Then I realized I was 3000 ft high. In the future, I will be more diligent in checking crossing restrs manually and not relying just on the vertical path information of the FMS. A contributing factor may have been the flight attendant came into the cockpit on descent -- possibly diverting my attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC MISPROGRAM FMS AND UNDERSHOOT ZDC FAK XING RESTR.

Narrative: CTR GAVE US XING RESTR 15 MI W OF FAK AT 9000 FT. I CHKED OUR POS, STARTED DOWN AND PROGRAMMED A POINT INTO FMS 20 MI W OF FAK. THEN (I THINK) I DIDN'T PUT THE 9000 FT INTO THE FMS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE FMS NEVER SHOWED WE WERE HIGH FOR THE RESTR. I CHKED THE NAV DISPLAY FOR THE VERT HIGH/LOW INFO SEVERAL TIMES ON THE DSCNT, BUT IT SHOWED WE WERE OK, SINCE 9000 FT WASN'T IN THE FMS. CTR CALLED US 15 MI W OF FAK AND ASKED WHAT OUR RESTR WAS. THEN I REALIZED I WAS 3000 FT HIGH. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT IN CHKING XING RESTRS MANUALLY AND NOT RELYING JUST ON THE VERT PATH INFO OF THE FMS. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MAY HAVE BEEN THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME INTO THE COCKPIT ON DSCNT -- POSSIBLY DIVERTING MY ATTN.

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.