Narrative:

Descending via pdz 4 arrival FL180 to 17000 ft, I was flying, first officer was PNF. The controller with socal approach said cross konzl at 17000 ft, descend then via the pdz 4 arrival. I said ok. With 17000 ft in the window, I got off frequency to situation the cabin crew. I looked away for 15 seconds -- the first officer had put 16000 ft in the window. I looked back and asked him about the change in altitude. He gave me a blank look. He did not understand that we had to cross at 17000 ft then descend via the arrival. We had passed 17000 ft and we were at 16300 ft at pdz VOR 24 DME east. I had problems all month long with the first officer setting in altitudes in the window without using good CRM and understanding SID's and STAR crossing altitudes fix.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 LEAVES ITS ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO MAKING THE PUBLISHED ALT XING RESTR OF 17000 FT AT KONZL ON THE PDZ ARR PROX 21 MI E OF PDZ, CA.

Narrative: DSNDING VIA PDZ 4 ARR FL180 TO 17000 FT, I WAS FLYING, FO WAS PNF. THE CTLR WITH SOCAL APCH SAID CROSS KONZL AT 17000 FT, DSND THEN VIA THE PDZ 4 ARR. I SAID OK. WITH 17000 FT IN THE WINDOW, I GOT OFF FREQ TO SIT THE CABIN CREW. I LOOKED AWAY FOR 15 SECONDS -- THE FO HAD PUT 16000 FT IN THE WINDOW. I LOOKED BACK AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE CHANGE IN ALT. HE GAVE ME A BLANK LOOK. HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAD TO CROSS AT 17000 FT THEN DSND VIA THE ARR. WE HAD PASSED 17000 FT AND WE WERE AT 16300 FT AT PDZ VOR 24 DME E. I HAD PROBS ALL MONTH LONG WITH THE FO SETTING IN ALTS IN THE WINDOW WITHOUT USING GOOD CRM AND UNDERSTANDING SID'S AND STAR XING ALTS FIX.

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.