Desired airspeed and altitude crossing restrs not met by a B737 flight crewat falko intersection, va...

Attributes
ACN	578124
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : falko
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	578124
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	578125
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location was brv, 211 degrees at 10 DME, falko intersection, for the arrival. At FL270, ZDC gave instructions to descend to 11000 ft, expect falko at 10000 ft, and 250 KTS. We had a 90 KT tailwind for most of the descent, and at about 17000 ft, informed dulles approach we could not make the constraint. She implicitly insisted we should have been able to by stating, 'that's why we give you an expected altitude, so you can plan for it.' but, we were throttles idle with full boards, in a maximum descent all the way, and could not have made it given the descent instruction from center. The controller seemed not to be aware of the tailwind, as I heard another aircraft stating they had a 100 KT tailwind, and were having difficulty making their constraint. The controller did not state any action would be taken, but we were fully 2500 ft high and 50 KTS fast over the point, and did not achieve the required altitude and airspeed until 10 mi beyond the point.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESIRED AIRSPD AND ALT XING RESTRS NOT MET BY A B737 FLT CREWAT FALKO INTXN, VA.

Narrative: LOCATION WAS BRV, 211 DEGS AT 10 DME, FALKO INTXN, FOR THE ARR. AT FL270, ZDC GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND TO 11000 FT, EXPECT FALKO AT 10000 FT, AND 250 KTS. WE HAD A 90 KT TAILWIND FOR MOST OF THE DSCNT, AND AT ABOUT 17000 FT, INFORMED DULLES APCH WE COULD NOT MAKE THE CONSTRAINT. SHE IMPLICITLY INSISTED WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BY STATING, 'THAT'S WHY WE GIVE YOU AN EXPECTED ALT, SO YOU CAN PLAN FOR IT.' BUT, WE WERE THROTTLES IDLE WITH FULL BOARDS, IN A MAX DSCNT ALL THE WAY, AND COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT GIVEN THE DSCNT INSTRUCTION FROM CTR. THE CTLR SEEMED NOT TO BE AWARE OF THE TAILWIND, AS I HEARD ANOTHER ACFT STATING THEY HAD A 100 KT TAILWIND, AND WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKING THEIR CONSTRAINT. THE CTLR DID NOT STATE ANY ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN, BUT WE WERE FULLY 2500 FT HIGH AND 50 KTS FAST OVER THE POINT, AND DID NOT ACHIEVE THE REQUIRED ALT AND AIRSPD UNTIL 10 MI BEYOND THE POINT.

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.