Multiple FMC and route planning problems after clearance amended with altitude overshot by departure climbing B737 flight crew out of MMMX, first officer.

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Attributes
ACN	581742
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmmx.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mmmx.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : rioja 1a
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 22300 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	581742
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Company Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared from mexico city via 'rioja 1A' departure (different from flight panned departure, requiring FMC modification). Altitude clearance FL350 with published restr of 15000 ft until 52 DME apn VOR. This restr was missed by PF until ATC pointed out altitude deviation. Questioned ATC on whether to descend to restr altitude, answer was no, continue climb to filed altitude. Contributing factors: PNF distracted by manual tuning, multiple navaids and radials, since FMC not tracking departure route accurately, resulting in inadequate xchks. Published departure profile on aeronautical chart cluttered, ie, numerous courses shown depending on transitions making altitude restr difficult to pick out at first glance. FMC stored departure route not having speed restr (250 KTS below 18000 ft 30 NM radius) requiring autoplt level change mode while reprogramming climb speed just when altitude restr reached and missed. Classic case of automation becoming a distraction rather than help which was created by inadequate briefing of departure procedure which was changed by clearance delivery. Must stay ahead of airplane regardless of automation or not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE FMC AND RTE PLANNING PROBS AFTER CLRNC AMENDED WITH ALT OVERSHOT BY DEP CLBING B737 FLT CREW OUT OF MMMX, FO.

Narrative: CLRED FROM MEXICO CITY VIA 'RIOJA 1A' DEP (DIFFERENT FROM FLT PANNED DEP, REQUIRING FMC MODIFICATION). ALT CLRNC FL350 WITH PUBLISHED RESTR OF 15000 FT UNTIL 52 DME APN VOR. THIS RESTR WAS MISSED BY PF UNTIL ATC POINTED OUT ALTDEV. QUESTIONED ATC ON WHETHER TO DSND TO RESTR ALT, ANSWER WAS NO, CONTINUE CLB TO FILED ALT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PNF DISTRACTED BY MANUAL TUNING, MULTIPLE NAVAIDS AND RADIALS, SINCE FMC NOT TRACKING DEP RTE ACCURATELY, RESULTING IN INADEQUATE XCHKS. PUBLISHED DEP PROFILE ON AERO CHART CLUTTERED, IE, NUMEROUS COURSES SHOWN DEPENDING ON TRANSITIONS MAKING ALT RESTR DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT AT FIRST GLANCE. FMC STORED DEP RTE NOT HAVING SPD RESTR (250 KTS BELOW 18000 FT 30 NM RADIUS) REQUIRING AUTOPLT LEVEL CHANGE MODE WHILE REPROGRAMMING CLB SPD JUST WHEN ALT RESTR REACHED AND MISSED. CLASSIC CASE OF AUTOMATION BECOMING A DISTR RATHER THAN HELP WHICH WAS CREATED BY INADEQUATE BRIEFING OF DEP PROC WHICH WAS CHANGED BY CLRNC DELIVERY. MUST STAY AHEAD OF AIRPLANE REGARDLESS OF AUTOMATION OR NOT.

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.