Narrative:

I was captain of the flight; but I was in the right seat for this leg acting as the PNF. We were cleared for the tyssn 1 RNAV arrival into las. I assumed that we would fly the arrival utilizing the VNAV portion of the FMS. I initially entered 8000 ft in the altitude selector; being that was the lowest altitude on the arrival. However; I did not confirm this with the PF; he elected to use the vertical speed (vs) mode of the autopilot. The arrival would have us cross the cejay intersection at FL190. As we approached cejay approximately 10-15 miles east; and at an altitude of between FL250-FL230; I looked at the altitude select window; which read 8000 ft; and at the distance to cejay; which was between 10-15 miles away; and convinced the PF that we were not going to make our crossing restr. This was incorrect. Before this took place; the controller had re-cleared us to cross the kaddy intersection at 12000 ft. As we descended through 12000 ft and eventually through 11000 ft; the controller said that he showed us through 11000 ft. I admitted our error; and we began our climb back to 12000 ft. There was no TCAS alert or RA. We continued to las with any further incident. Some contributing factors: 1) the PF is at the moment; a contract pilot that we (our company) uses on a regular basis. He will be hired to full time status at a later date. Therefore; there was a contract pilot flying the airplane; and a company pilot in the right seat as the PNF who has more time and experience in the airplane. 2) at the time of the event; our company recently purchased electronic flight bags (efb's) to use on board the aircraft. Both pilots have an efb to their disposal. There was some confusion in the cockpit during the arrival because we were given a different arrival than was planned. During this confusion; the PF had trouble locating the tyssn 1 arrival on his efb; and had asked for the paper copy version; which had not been pulled for that trip. 3) the day before our trip; one of my closest friends of 20 years was killed in his helicopter. Some fixes implemented: 1) we are now printing paper copies of airport charts for both pilots in addition to using the efb's. 2) we now are briefing which type of descent will be used for arrivals and departures. VNAV or vs. We are a professional flight crew using CRM at its fullest. This was an inadvertent deviation and was not intentional.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL60 CREW USING AN ELECTRONIC FLT BAG WAS CONFUSED ABOUT AN LAS RNAV CROSSING ALT. A LOW TIME FO AND NEW EFB CONTRIBUTING TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT OF THE FLT; BUT I WAS IN THE R SEAT FOR THIS LEG ACTING AS THE PNF. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE TYSSN 1 RNAV ARR INTO LAS. I ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD FLY THE ARR UTILIZING THE VNAV PORTION OF THE FMS. I INITIALLY ENTERED 8000 FT IN THE ALT SELECTOR; BEING THAT WAS THE LOWEST ALT ON THE ARR. HOWEVER; I DID NOT CONFIRM THIS WITH THE PF; HE ELECTED TO USE THE VERTICAL SPEED (VS) MODE OF THE AUTOPILOT. THE ARR WOULD HAVE US CROSS THE CEJAY INTXN AT FL190. AS WE APCHED CEJAY APPROX 10-15 MILES E; AND AT AN ALT OF BETWEEN FL250-FL230; I LOOKED AT THE ALT SELECT WINDOW; WHICH READ 8000 FT; AND AT THE DISTANCE TO CEJAY; WHICH WAS BETWEEN 10-15 MILES AWAY; AND CONVINCED THE PF THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE OUR CROSSING RESTR. THIS WAS INCORRECT. BEFORE THIS TOOK PLACE; THE CTLR HAD RE-CLRED US TO CROSS THE KADDY INTXN AT 12000 FT. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 12000 FT AND EVENTUALLY THROUGH 11000 FT; THE CTLR SAID THAT HE SHOWED US THROUGH 11000 FT. I ADMITTED OUR ERROR; AND WE BEGAN OUR CLIMB BACK TO 12000 FT. THERE WAS NO TCAS ALERT OR RA. WE CONTINUED TO LAS WITH ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THE PF IS AT THE MOMENT; A CONTRACT PLT THAT WE (OUR COMPANY) USES ON A REGULAR BASIS. HE WILL BE HIRED TO FULL TIME STATUS AT A LATER DATE. THEREFORE; THERE WAS A CONTRACT PILOT FLYING THE AIRPLANE; AND A COMPANY PILOT IN THE R SEAT AS THE PNF WHO HAS MORE TIME AND EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE. 2) AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT; OUR COMPANY RECENTLY PURCHASED ELECTRONIC FLT BAGS (EFB'S) TO USE ON BOARD THE ACFT. BOTH PLTS HAVE AN EFB TO THEIR DISPOSAL. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT DURING THE ARR BECAUSE WE WERE GIVEN A DIFFERENT ARR THAN WAS PLANNED. DURING THIS CONFUSION; THE PF HAD TROUBLE LOCATING THE TYSSN 1 ARR ON HIS EFB; AND HAD ASKED FOR THE PAPER COPY VERSION; WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PULLED FOR THAT TRIP. 3) THE DAY BEFORE OUR TRIP; ONE OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS OF 20 YEARS WAS KILLED IN HIS HELI. SOME FIXES IMPLEMENTED: 1) WE ARE NOW PRINTING PAPER COPIES OF ARPT CHARTS FOR BOTH PLTS IN ADDITION TO USING THE EFB'S. 2) WE NOW ARE BRIEFING WHICH TYPE OF DESCENT WILL BE USED FOR ARRIVALS AND DEPS. VNAV OR VS. WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL FLT CREW USING CRM AT ITS FULLEST. THIS WAS AN INADVERTENT DEVIATION AND WAS NOT INTENTIONAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.