Narrative:

Our flight was filed and cleared to descend via dylin 1 arrival into ewr. ZDC on 2 separate frequencys told us to fly 'best forward speed.' the controller on the third frequency asked for 310 KIAS or greater. There was frequency saturation during the later stages of the descent profile. N90 assigned a 070 degree heading to maintain after dylin. The aircraft crossed dylin approximately 1500 ft above the required 8000 ft MSL. Neither center nor approach advised us of any flight violations or of a failure to follow directives. Captain was inexperienced in his seat and designated a 'high minimums' captain. The FMS/FMC never gave a missed altitude or exceeding airspeed warning. As first officer and PNF, I suggested to the captain on 2 to 3 occasions he needed to slow down to make the altitude restr at dylin because of the 250 KIAS restr below 10000 ft MSL. Airspeed remained approximately 330-340 KIAS during the descent and throttles were back (idle whenever I had the opportunity to observe). During the latter phases of the descent, I was making radio changes and an in range call to newark operations for gate assignment. I assumed we would make the 8000 ft MSL restr at dylin and was surprised to see the altitude deviation. I believe the major factors contributing to the missed altitude were: the captain's inexperience with the arrival and aircraft automation, center requesting high speed descent several times during high pilot workload, radio frequency saturation. Captain did deploy full speed brakes near bottom of descent and asked me to request to delete airspeed restr. This created confusion because there was no airspeed restr on the arrival, and I didn't think ATC could delete the 250 KIAS restr below 10000 ft MSL. The captain did not exceed 250 KIAS below 10000 ft MSL to the best of my knowledge. I did not do an adequate job of backing up the captain during the arrival. Supplemental information from acn 536239: after somto we leveled off at 10000 ft to slow to 250 KTS. ZDC handed us off to ZNY. We crossed dylin at 9400 ft. ZNY gave us vectors until we were able to fit in with the traffic flow. FMS showed us on profile and speed at dylin. Contributing factors are 3-FOLD: reliance on FMS. Lack of speed coordination between ZDC and ZNY. I'm a new captain with 60 hours PIC in a jet. If I had a chance to do this over, I would have either, asked for a high speed descent to 8000 ft by ZDC, or put a bit more brain power to assure the FMS is going to accomplish the desired task.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD11 LOW TIME PIC FAILS TO MAKE AN ALT XING RESTR AT DYLIN INTXN, NJ.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS FILED AND CLRED TO DSND VIA DYLIN 1 ARR INTO EWR. ZDC ON 2 SEPARATE FREQS TOLD US TO FLY 'BEST FORWARD SPD.' THE CTLR ON THE THIRD FREQ ASKED FOR 310 KIAS OR GREATER. THERE WAS FREQ SATURATION DURING THE LATER STAGES OF THE DSCNT PROFILE. N90 ASSIGNED A 070 DEG HDG TO MAINTAIN AFTER DYLIN. THE ACFT CROSSED DYLIN APPROX 1500 FT ABOVE THE REQUIRED 8000 FT MSL. NEITHER CTR NOR APCH ADVISED US OF ANY FLT VIOLATIONS OR OF A FAILURE TO FOLLOW DIRECTIVES. CAPT WAS INEXPERIENCED IN HIS SEAT AND DESIGNATED A 'HIGH MINIMUMS' CAPT. THE FMS/FMC NEVER GAVE A MISSED ALT OR EXCEEDING AIRSPD WARNING. AS FO AND PNF, I SUGGESTED TO THE CAPT ON 2 TO 3 OCCASIONS HE NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE THE ALT RESTR AT DYLIN BECAUSE OF THE 250 KIAS RESTR BELOW 10000 FT MSL. AIRSPD REMAINED APPROX 330-340 KIAS DURING THE DSCNT AND THROTTLES WERE BACK (IDLE WHENEVER I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE). DURING THE LATTER PHASES OF THE DSCNT, I WAS MAKING RADIO CHANGES AND AN IN RANGE CALL TO NEWARK OPS FOR GATE ASSIGNMENT. I ASSUMED WE WOULD MAKE THE 8000 FT MSL RESTR AT DYLIN AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE ALTDEV. I BELIEVE THE MAJOR FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE MISSED ALT WERE: THE CAPT'S INEXPERIENCE WITH THE ARR AND ACFT AUTOMATION, CTR REQUESTING HIGH SPD DSCNT SEVERAL TIMES DURING HIGH PLT WORKLOAD, RADIO FREQ SATURATION. CAPT DID DEPLOY FULL SPD BRAKES NEAR BOTTOM OF DSCNT AND ASKED ME TO REQUEST TO DELETE AIRSPD RESTR. THIS CREATED CONFUSION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO AIRSPD RESTR ON THE ARR, AND I DIDN'T THINK ATC COULD DELETE THE 250 KIAS RESTR BELOW 10000 FT MSL. THE CAPT DID NOT EXCEED 250 KIAS BELOW 10000 FT MSL TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. I DID NOT DO AN ADEQUATE JOB OF BACKING UP THE CAPT DURING THE ARR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 536239: AFTER SOMTO WE LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT TO SLOW TO 250 KTS. ZDC HANDED US OFF TO ZNY. WE CROSSED DYLIN AT 9400 FT. ZNY GAVE US VECTORS UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO FIT IN WITH THE TFC FLOW. FMS SHOWED US ON PROFILE AND SPD AT DYLIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE 3-FOLD: RELIANCE ON FMS. LACK OF SPD COORD BTWN ZDC AND ZNY. I'M A NEW CAPT WITH 60 HRS PIC IN A JET. IF I HAD A CHANCE TO DO THIS OVER, I WOULD HAVE EITHER, ASKED FOR A HIGH SPD DSCNT TO 8000 FT BY ZDC, OR PUT A BIT MORE BRAIN PWR TO ASSURE THE FMS IS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THE DESIRED TASK.

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.