An MD88 crew, descending into atl, overshot their assigned altitude, missing a crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	533181
Time
Date	200112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : atl.vortac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5750 flight time type : 205
ASRS Report	533181
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were flying an MD88 from gso to atl and the autothrottles were inoperative. This was an MEL item which means the VNAV function of the FMS will not work. The captain was flying the aircraft with the autoplt when ZTL cleared us to cross womac intersection at 13000 ft and maintain a speed of 320 KTS or greater until advised. The captain initiated a descent in indicated airspeed mode (speed on pitch). The range on altitude arc (green arc) on the map display indicated we would indeed cross womac at 13000 ft as cleared. Subsequently, we briefed the approach and began the approach checklist around the same time we checked in with atl approach. Atl approach cleared us to cross womac at 13000 ft and logen at 10000 ft. The altitude select window on the FGC panel was set to 10000 ft and verified by both of us. We continued to complete the checklist when approach called to say our position was approximately 2 mi north of womac intersection. I looked at the altimeter which indicated 12500 ft and told the captain he wanted us to cross womac at 13000 ft. The captain had a look of surprise as the controller said just cross logen at 10000 ft. I think the captain was preoccupied with flying the aircraft and running the checklist and mistook the 10000 ft crossing restr at logen to have canceled the previous at womac. The controller indicated when he handed us off that they had no issue with missing the woman restr. I believe the cause for missing the restr may be due to several factors: 1) the captain did not hear the entire clearance and by verifying the new altitude I thought he had. 2) the captain had several yrs in the right seat of the MD88 but had about 80 hours in the left seat at the time, and flies the aircraft 3 days a month because he is also a full time simulator instructor. 3) the VNAV function was not operative and although it is not necessary to fly the aircraft, some people regularly rely on it and form their habit patterns with VNAV in mind. 4) my execution of the checklist while descending for 2 crossing restrs could have been better managed. By that I could have paused or held a few items making sure the captain had no question about our need to level at 13000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 CREW, DSNDING INTO ATL, OVERSHOT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT, MISSING A XING RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING AN MD88 FROM GSO TO ATL AND THE AUTOTHROTTLES WERE INOP. THIS WAS AN MEL ITEM WHICH MEANS THE VNAV FUNCTION OF THE FMS WILL NOT WORK. THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE AUTOPLT WHEN ZTL CLRED US TO CROSS WOMAC INTXN AT 13000 FT AND MAINTAIN A SPD OF 320 KTS OR GREATER UNTIL ADVISED. THE CAPT INITIATED A DSCNT IN INDICATED AIRSPD MODE (SPD ON PITCH). THE RANGE ON ALT ARC (GREEN ARC) ON THE MAP DISPLAY INDICATED WE WOULD INDEED CROSS WOMAC AT 13000 FT AS CLRED. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE BRIEFED THE APCH AND BEGAN THE APCH CHKLIST AROUND THE SAME TIME WE CHKED IN WITH ATL APCH. ATL APCH CLRED US TO CROSS WOMAC AT 13000 FT AND LOGEN AT 10000 FT. THE ALT SELECT WINDOW ON THE FGC PANEL WAS SET TO 10000 FT AND VERIFIED BY BOTH OF US. WE CONTINUED TO COMPLETE THE CHKLIST WHEN APCH CALLED TO SAY OUR POS WAS APPROX 2 MI N OF WOMAC INTXN. I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETER WHICH INDICATED 12500 FT AND TOLD THE CAPT HE WANTED US TO CROSS WOMAC AT 13000 FT. THE CAPT HAD A LOOK OF SURPRISE AS THE CTLR SAID JUST CROSS LOGEN AT 10000 FT. I THINK THE CAPT WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH FLYING THE ACFT AND RUNNING THE CHKLIST AND MISTOOK THE 10000 FT XING RESTR AT LOGEN TO HAVE CANCELED THE PREVIOUS AT WOMAC. THE CTLR INDICATED WHEN HE HANDED US OFF THAT THEY HAD NO ISSUE WITH MISSING THE WOMAN RESTR. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE FOR MISSING THE RESTR MAY BE DUE TO SEVERAL FACTORS: 1) THE CAPT DID NOT HEAR THE ENTIRE CLRNC AND BY VERIFYING THE NEW ALT I THOUGHT HE HAD. 2) THE CAPT HAD SEVERAL YRS IN THE R SEAT OF THE MD88 BUT HAD ABOUT 80 HRS IN THE L SEAT AT THE TIME, AND FLIES THE ACFT 3 DAYS A MONTH BECAUSE HE IS ALSO A FULL TIME SIMULATOR INSTRUCTOR. 3) THE VNAV FUNCTION WAS NOT OPERATIVE AND ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO FLY THE ACFT, SOME PEOPLE REGULARLY RELY ON IT AND FORM THEIR HABIT PATTERNS WITH VNAV IN MIND. 4) MY EXECUTION OF THE CHKLIST WHILE DSNDING FOR 2 XING RESTRS COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER MANAGED. BY THAT I COULD HAVE PAUSED OR HELD A FEW ITEMS MAKING SURE THE CAPT HAD NO QUESTION ABOUT OUR NEED TO LEVEL AT 13000 FT.

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.