Narrative:

New york approach provided vectors to intercept the localizer for the ILS runway 6 at teb. I was told to cross the final approach fix at 1500 ft MSL. We were assigned 2000 ft MSL prior to being cleared to 1500 ft at the final approach fix. Instead of descending to 1500 ft we remained at 2000 ft MSL until joining the GS for the remainder of the approach and landing. Before crossing the FAF we had a TCASII advisory of an approaching aircraft, we did not perceive this advisory as an imminent threat, as the altitudes were never any closer than 1000 ft of separation. Approach then advised us that we had missed the assigned crossing restr. I have spoken with other crews since this event and have been made aware that this is a recurring problem at teb. The approach plate shows 2000 ft as the initial altitude for the ILS runway 6. The assignment of 1500 ft is different than the plate and a 'heads up' from approach may be appropriate in such congested airspace. A simple statement of, 'join the GS crossing the FAF at 1500 ft,' it may preclude this sort of incident in the future. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that the primary problem was the crew's unfamiliarity with the FMS based system which was newly introduced to their fleet. Because they were not well versed in programming transitions from en route navigation to instrument approachs they had chosen to abandon the FMS as a primary navigation source and, instead, to intercept and fly the ILS approach with a conventional 'round dial' fpdi system. This system, other than DME, of course, had no way to display dandy intersection. He further reiterated his confusion regarding the altitudes on the approach plate and those transmitted by TRACON. Reporter felt that the training provided for transition to FMS type system was insufficient and resulted in crews using these sort of 'mix and match' combinations of system until they gained proficiency through exposure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF FA50 FAILED TO COMPLY WITH MANDATORY XING ALT AT DANDY INTXN ON ILS TO TEB. BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE ILS THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND TRACON'S REF TO 1500 FT AND THEY MERELY FOLLOWED THE GLIDE PATH. THEY ALSO RECEIVED A TCASII RA IN THE VICINITY OF DANDY TO WHICH THEY DID NOT RESPOND.

Narrative: NEW YORK APCH PROVIDED VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR THE ILS RWY 6 AT TEB. I WAS TOLD TO CROSS THE FINAL APCH FIX AT 1500 FT MSL. WE WERE ASSIGNED 2000 FT MSL PRIOR TO BEING CLRED TO 1500 FT AT THE FINAL APCH FIX. INSTEAD OF DSNDING TO 1500 FT WE REMAINED AT 2000 FT MSL UNTIL JOINING THE GS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG. BEFORE XING THE FAF WE HAD A TCASII ADVISORY OF AN APCHING ACFT, WE DID NOT PERCEIVE THIS ADVISORY AS AN IMMINENT THREAT, AS THE ALTS WERE NEVER ANY CLOSER THAN 1000 FT OF SEPARATION. APCH THEN ADVISED US THAT WE HAD MISSED THE ASSIGNED XING RESTR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER CREWS SINCE THIS EVENT AND HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROB AT TEB. THE APCH PLATE SHOWS 2000 FT AS THE INITIAL ALT FOR THE ILS RWY 6. THE ASSIGNMENT OF 1500 FT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PLATE AND A 'HEADS UP' FROM APCH MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN SUCH CONGESTED AIRSPACE. A SIMPLE STATEMENT OF, 'JOIN THE GS XING THE FAF AT 1500 FT,' IT MAY PRECLUDE THIS SORT OF INCIDENT IN THE FUTURE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT THE PRIMARY PROB WAS THE CREW'S UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE FMS BASED SYS WHICH WAS NEWLY INTRODUCED TO THEIR FLEET. BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT WELL VERSED IN PROGRAMMING TRANSITIONS FROM ENRTE NAV TO INST APCHS THEY HAD CHOSEN TO ABANDON THE FMS AS A PRIMARY NAV SOURCE AND, INSTEAD, TO INTERCEPT AND FLY THE ILS APCH WITH A CONVENTIONAL 'ROUND DIAL' FPDI SYS. THIS SYS, OTHER THAN DME, OF COURSE, HAD NO WAY TO DISPLAY DANDY INTXN. HE FURTHER REITERATED HIS CONFUSION REGARDING THE ALTS ON THE APCH PLATE AND THOSE XMITTED BY TRACON. RPTR FELT THAT THE TRAINING PROVIDED FOR TRANSITION TO FMS TYPE SYS WAS INSUFFICIENT AND RESULTED IN CREWS USING THESE SORT OF 'MIX AND MATCH' COMBINATIONS OF SYS UNTIL THEY GAINED PROFICIENCY THROUGH EXPOSURE.

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.