A B737-300 crew reports missing a crossing restriction in an aircraft with an FMC but no moving map....

Attributes
ACN	811720
Time
Date	200811
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 153
ASRS Report	811720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 167
ASRS Report	811719
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fmc other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were at FL330 with an FMC MEL'ed and told to cross 10 NM north of abc at FL290. After we programmed the operating FMC; the captain began his duties of attaining ATIS and gate request. Before he left the descent page; I saw we were about 19 NM from the crossing restr fix. I looked at my glidepath indicator and saw it was sitting in the centered position; not acting alive yet. I looked away for a short period; and when I looked back at the glidepath; it was full scale down. I immediately began the descent. I recalculated in my head and the captain went back to the descent page and I saw we might be hard pressed to make it. The captain also noticed that after we started the descent we got a significant increase in tailwind. I told the captain he might want to get relief for the restr and he agreed. The only problem was; ATC was too busy and the captain couldn't get a word in. We crossed the restr about 700 ft high. Like everybody else I'm sure; I feel it is difficult to get the big picture while flying a -300 with an FMC MEL'ed. Not only is there no moving map; but there is only 1 FMC and if the PNF needs it to accomplish other duties; it really narrows your picture. However; looking back at the situation; I realize that I neglected one little piece of information that the -300 offers when the FMC is being used. That is the DME above the HSI which I could have used in this situation. Why did I neglect it? I believe it extends from the habit of using the FMC (in both aircraft types) to get distance information. Take the FMC away; and I felt somewhat blind to the situation. I just depended on that glidepath indicator in this situation; which at times can be deceiving. I strongly recommend dual FMC operations at all times. Another note about that DME above the HSI; if the crossing restr had been on a second fix further down the arrival; that DME would not have helped me anyway; since it only gives me distance to the next immediate fix.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CREW REPORTS MISSING A CROSSING RESTRICTION IN AN AIRCRAFT WITH AN FMC BUT NO MOVING MAP. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS DECREASED AND OTHER NAVIGATION INFORMATION MUST BE USED TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE THAT A MAP PROVIDES.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL330 WITH AN FMC MEL'ED AND TOLD TO CROSS 10 NM N OF ABC AT FL290. AFTER WE PROGRAMMED THE OPERATING FMC; THE CAPT BEGAN HIS DUTIES OF ATTAINING ATIS AND GATE REQUEST. BEFORE HE LEFT THE DSCNT PAGE; I SAW WE WERE ABOUT 19 NM FROM THE XING RESTR FIX. I LOOKED AT MY GLIDEPATH INDICATOR AND SAW IT WAS SITTING IN THE CTRED POS; NOT ACTING ALIVE YET. I LOOKED AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD; AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE GLIDEPATH; IT WAS FULL SCALE DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN THE DSCNT. I RECALCULATED IN MY HEAD AND THE CAPT WENT BACK TO THE DSCNT PAGE AND I SAW WE MIGHT BE HARD PRESSED TO MAKE IT. THE CAPT ALSO NOTICED THAT AFTER WE STARTED THE DSCNT WE GOT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN TAILWIND. I TOLD THE CAPT HE MIGHT WANT TO GET RELIEF FOR THE RESTR AND HE AGREED. THE ONLY PROB WAS; ATC WAS TOO BUSY AND THE CAPT COULDN'T GET A WORD IN. WE CROSSED THE RESTR ABOUT 700 FT HIGH. LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE I'M SURE; I FEEL IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET THE BIG PICTURE WHILE FLYING A -300 WITH AN FMC MEL'ED. NOT ONLY IS THERE NO MOVING MAP; BUT THERE IS ONLY 1 FMC AND IF THE PNF NEEDS IT TO ACCOMPLISH OTHER DUTIES; IT REALLY NARROWS YOUR PICTURE. HOWEVER; LOOKING BACK AT THE SITUATION; I REALIZE THAT I NEGLECTED ONE LITTLE PIECE OF INFO THAT THE -300 OFFERS WHEN THE FMC IS BEING USED. THAT IS THE DME ABOVE THE HSI WHICH I COULD HAVE USED IN THIS SITUATION. WHY DID I NEGLECT IT? I BELIEVE IT EXTENDS FROM THE HABIT OF USING THE FMC (IN BOTH ACFT TYPES) TO GET DISTANCE INFO. TAKE THE FMC AWAY; AND I FELT SOMEWHAT BLIND TO THE SITUATION. I JUST DEPENDED ON THAT GLIDEPATH INDICATOR IN THIS SITUATION; WHICH AT TIMES CAN BE DECEIVING. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND DUAL FMC OPS AT ALL TIMES. ANOTHER NOTE ABOUT THAT DME ABOVE THE HSI; IF THE XING RESTR HAD BEEN ON A SECOND FIX FURTHER DOWN THE ARR; THAT DME WOULD NOT HAVE HELPED ME ANYWAY; SINCE IT ONLY GIVES ME DISTANCE TO THE NEXT IMMEDIATE FIX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

A B737-300 crew reports missing a crossing restriction in an aircraft with an FMC but no moving map. Situational awareness is decreased and other navigation information must be used to complete the picture that a map provides.