Fatigue; lack of familiarity with the area; and the newly installed efb contributed to the failure o...

Attributes
ACN	920078
Time
Date	201011
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	SWF.Airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Electronic Flt Bag (EFB)
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60 Flight Crew Total 4000 Flight Crew Type 400
Person 2
Function	Flight Engineer / Second Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Total 5300
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

Inbound to swf we received a route change and a crossing restriction simultaneously. The crossing restriction was to cross 35 NM southwest of the lhy VOR at FL180. We were using newly installed efbs which required extra time and effort to properly tune; identify; and navigate to the re-route that was issued. Once lhy was tuned and identified we discovered that the DME was erratic and indicating that we were flying away from a VOR; not toward the lhy VOR (indicating approximately 166 NM outside of the VOR). Shortly after that the DME became inoperative on both DME receivers. As we were attempting to determine our distance to lhy; new york center asked us what our rate of descent was. We replied that we had a descent rate of 4;000 FPM. New york asked us again what our rate of descent was as we descended through approximately FL200. As we descended through FL190 we were given 'descend and maintain 13;000'. Then new york center gave us a frequency change; at which point the pilot not flying said we were still not receiving DME from lhy and asked the ATC controller how far from lhy we were. The controller replied 14 NM. Although there was never verbal mention of missing the crossing restriction; it was apparent that the restriction was not complied with when given the information on our distance by the controller as we switched frequencies.human performance considerations: 1. Fatigue of the pilot flying after flying all night. 2. Unfamiliarity with the northeast navaids and using new efb equipment in the aircraft. 3. Failure to obtain distance from the VOR in a timely manner. 4. Failure to increase the rate of descent because of a loss of situational awareness due to erroneous and/or inoperative DME on the lhy VOR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Fatigue; lack of familiarity with the area; and the newly installed EFB contributed to the failure of a B727 flight crew to comply with an ATC crossing restriction on descent.

Narrative: Inbound to SWF we received a route change and a crossing restriction simultaneously. The crossing restriction was to cross 35 NM southwest of the LHY VOR at FL180. We were using newly installed EFBs which required extra time and effort to properly tune; identify; and navigate to the re-route that was issued. Once LHY was tuned and identified we discovered that the DME was erratic and indicating that we were flying away from a VOR; not toward the LHY VOR (indicating approximately 166 NM outside of the VOR). Shortly after that the DME became inoperative on both DME receivers. As we were attempting to determine our distance to LHY; New York Center asked us what our rate of descent was. We replied that we had a descent rate of 4;000 FPM. New York asked us again what our rate of descent was as we descended through approximately FL200. As we descended through FL190 we were given 'descend and maintain 13;000'. Then New York Center gave us a frequency change; at which point the pilot not flying said we were still not receiving DME from LHY and asked the ATC Controller how far from LHY we were. The Controller replied 14 NM. Although there was never verbal mention of missing the crossing restriction; it was apparent that the restriction was not complied with when given the information on our distance by the Controller as we switched frequencies.Human Performance Considerations: 1. Fatigue of the pilot flying after flying all night. 2. Unfamiliarity with the northeast navaids and using new EFB equipment in the aircraft. 3. Failure to obtain distance from the VOR in a timely manner. 4. Failure to increase the rate of descent because of a loss of situational awareness due to erroneous and/or inoperative DME on the LHY VOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Fatigue; lack of familiarity with the area; and the newly installed efb contributed to the failure of a B727 flight crew to comply with an ATC crossing restriction on descent.