Narrative:

We were level at FL240, and were cleared to descend to 12000 ft to comply with altitude restrs on the chins 3 arrival. The first officer had briefed the arrival and had correctly entered the crossing restrs into the FMS, which were to cross raddy intersection at 250 KTS, 1600 ft, and dubrn intersection at 250 KTS, 1200 ft. After descent clearance was given and descent was begun, I was rechking information on the approach plate for the ILS to runway 16R. While doing so, I heard the first officer mention that drag was required to meet the crossing restr. Shortly after that, I looked up to see that the first officer had deselected VNAV and was in flight level change with speed brakes extended. I realized we were descending early, and before I could ask him about the descent, ZSE said we were to cross raddy at 16000 ft. At the time, we were at approximately 13500-14000 ft MSL. He said that altitude restr was in case turboprops were on the arrival, but there were none in the vicinity, and there was no problem. I asked the first officer about his descent and he stated once we were cleared to 12000 ft, he incorrectly 'locked on' to the 12000 ft and was trying to cross raddy intersection at 12000 ft rather than the required 16000 ft. After we were switched to approach control, I again contacted ZSE in regards to the early descent, and he said no one else was in this area and there was not a problem. I believe fatigue was a factor in this incident as we are an east coast based crew. We had a 2 hour delay in slc prior to this leg, and I believe fatigue was a major contributing factor. The first officer said after arrival in sea that he was very tired. Also, although the first officer is a very experienced first officer, I should keep a closer watch on a long duty day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 FLC CROSS THEIR ASSIGNED FIX 2500 FT BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT ON THE CHINS 3 ARR AT SEA, WA.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT FL240, AND WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 12000 FT TO COMPLY WITH ALT RESTRS ON THE CHINS 3 ARR. THE FO HAD BRIEFED THE ARR AND HAD CORRECTLY ENTERED THE XING RESTRS INTO THE FMS, WHICH WERE TO CROSS RADDY INTXN AT 250 KTS, 1600 FT, AND DUBRN INTXN AT 250 KTS, 1200 FT. AFTER DSCNT CLRNC WAS GIVEN AND DSCNT WAS BEGUN, I WAS RECHKING INFO ON THE APCH PLATE FOR THE ILS TO RWY 16R. WHILE DOING SO, I HEARD THE FO MENTION THAT DRAG WAS REQUIRED TO MEET THE XING RESTR. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I LOOKED UP TO SEE THAT THE FO HAD DESELECTED VNAV AND WAS IN FLT LEVEL CHANGE WITH SPD BRAKES EXTENDED. I REALIZED WE WERE DSNDING EARLY, AND BEFORE I COULD ASK HIM ABOUT THE DSCNT, ZSE SAID WE WERE TO CROSS RADDY AT 16000 FT. AT THE TIME, WE WERE AT APPROX 13500-14000 FT MSL. HE SAID THAT ALT RESTR WAS IN CASE TURBOPROPS WERE ON THE ARR, BUT THERE WERE NONE IN THE VICINITY, AND THERE WAS NO PROB. I ASKED THE FO ABOUT HIS DSCNT AND HE STATED ONCE WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT, HE INCORRECTLY 'LOCKED ON' TO THE 12000 FT AND WAS TRYING TO CROSS RADDY INTXN AT 12000 FT RATHER THAN THE REQUIRED 16000 FT. AFTER WE WERE SWITCHED TO APCH CTL, I AGAIN CONTACTED ZSE IN REGARDS TO THE EARLY DSCNT, AND HE SAID NO ONE ELSE WAS IN THIS AREA AND THERE WAS NOT A PROB. I BELIEVE FATIGUE WAS A FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT AS WE ARE AN EAST COAST BASED CREW. WE HAD A 2 HR DELAY IN SLC PRIOR TO THIS LEG, AND I BELIEVE FATIGUE WAS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. THE FO SAID AFTER ARR IN SEA THAT HE WAS VERY TIRED. ALSO, ALTHOUGH THE FO IS A VERY EXPERIENCED FO, I SHOULD KEEP A CLOSER WATCH ON A LONG DUTY DAY.

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.