Altitude crossing restr overshot by a flight crew in a B737-300 on dylin profile descent into ewr, n...

Attributes
ACN	539681
Time
Date	200203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : somoto
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10300 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Route In Use	arrival : profile descent arrival star : dylin 1
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Make Model Name	PA-31P Navajo P
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 212 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	539681
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	540180
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airspace Structure Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On dylin profile descent, 100+ KT tailwind, aircraft got high with VNAV disconnect. First 2 crossing restrs are 'above' an altitude, then 11000-13000 ft. In the dive trying to get back on profile got a VFR navajo at 10500 ft. Got a TCASII alert, slowed the descent. After traffic passed, hit VNAV again. It must have went to speed. I had the 8000 ft bottom of descent set so the aircraft went to 8000 ft and crossed the 11000-13000 ft restr at 10300 ft while I was trying to smoothly stop the descent. Center didn't voice any concerns. The TCASII alert took my mind off the profile. When in atl, the first officer asked if I'd flown this approach/arrival before because he nearly got burned. I had but didn't remember any problems. I got high with tailwind. VNAV disconnected, center wanted 310 KTS or greater with a 100+ KT tailwind. I should have set 11000 ft versus the 8000 ft, and not relied on the automation. Recommended improvement: put out a bulletin on the 'at or above xings to a hard altitude at 8000 ft. You can cross 13000 ft with 13 mi to slow and get to 8000 ft. The VNAV can't do it, especially with a tailwind. Supplemental information from acn 540180: PF decided to let VNAV handle the leveloffs. I mentioned to captain that I had been 'burned' by doing that on this arrival. While looking for the traffic, the aircraft had a VNAV disconnect (tailwind/overspd). Failure of PF to monitor automation mode, and leveloff at 11000 ft at somto. Failure of pm to monitor PF, and to alert him to the missed leveloff in time. Never let VNAV fly an arrival, and expect it to handle the leveloffs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR OVERSHOT BY A FLC IN A B737-300 ON DYLIN PROFILE DSCNT INTO EWR, NJ.

Narrative: ON DYLIN PROFILE DSCNT, 100+ KT TAILWIND, ACFT GOT HIGH WITH VNAV DISCONNECT. FIRST 2 XING RESTRS ARE 'ABOVE' AN ALT, THEN 11000-13000 FT. IN THE DIVE TRYING TO GET BACK ON PROFILE GOT A VFR NAVAJO AT 10500 FT. GOT A TCASII ALERT, SLOWED THE DSCNT. AFTER TFC PASSED, HIT VNAV AGAIN. IT MUST HAVE WENT TO SPEED. I HAD THE 8000 FT BOTTOM OF DSCNT SET SO THE ACFT WENT TO 8000 FT AND CROSSED THE 11000-13000 FT RESTR AT 10300 FT WHILE I WAS TRYING TO SMOOTHLY STOP THE DSCNT. CTR DIDN'T VOICE ANY CONCERNS. THE TCASII ALERT TOOK MY MIND OFF THE PROFILE. WHEN IN ATL, THE FO ASKED IF I'D FLOWN THIS APCH/ARR BEFORE BECAUSE HE NEARLY GOT BURNED. I HAD BUT DIDN'T REMEMBER ANY PROBS. I GOT HIGH WITH TAILWIND. VNAV DISCONNECTED, CTR WANTED 310 KTS OR GREATER WITH A 100+ KT TAILWIND. I SHOULD HAVE SET 11000 FT VERSUS THE 8000 FT, AND NOT RELIED ON THE AUTOMATION. RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENT: PUT OUT A BULLETIN ON THE 'AT OR ABOVE XINGS TO A HARD ALT AT 8000 FT. YOU CAN CROSS 13000 FT WITH 13 MI TO SLOW AND GET TO 8000 FT. THE VNAV CAN'T DO IT, ESPECIALLY WITH A TAILWIND. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 540180: PF DECIDED TO LET VNAV HANDLE THE LEVELOFFS. I MENTIONED TO CAPT THAT I HAD BEEN 'BURNED' BY DOING THAT ON THIS ARR. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE TFC, THE ACFT HAD A VNAV DISCONNECT (TAILWIND/OVERSPD). FAILURE OF PF TO MONITOR AUTOMATION MODE, AND LEVELOFF AT 11000 FT AT SOMTO. FAILURE OF PM TO MONITOR PF, AND TO ALERT HIM TO THE MISSED LEVELOFF IN TIME. NEVER LET VNAV FLY AN ARR, AND EXPECT IT TO HANDLE THE LEVELOFFS.

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.

Altitude crossing restr overshot by a flight crew in a B737-300 on dylin profile descent into ewr, nj.