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Despite having programmed ATC's descent crossing restriction; the flight crew of a B737-400 failed to comply when the pilot flying disconnected the autoflight system and initiated a descent rate less than that required to comply.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1032254 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201208 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZTL.ARTCC |
| State Reference | GA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-400 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
Prior to initial descent; at FL310; ATC had assigned a crossing restriction of FL290 at a specific fix. The first officer was pilot flying. The autopilot was on with FL290 selected [in the altitude alert]; fix information designated; LNAV on; and VNAV engaged to do an idle descent. Just as the autopilot was about to begin the descent; ATC called to ask if we were going to make the crossing restriction. I replied with a yes but the first officer was apparently startled and reacted by taking the aircraft controls and disengaging the autopilot which resulted in the aircraft not beginning its planned idle descent. I told the first officer to use the speedbrake to get the aircraft down but he was not responding so I activated the speedbrakes. The first officer was still not responding adequately enough. I told him to push the nose over and use increased speed to get it down but he still did not respond quick enough; seeming to do a gradual descent; resulting in us missing the crossing restriction by 1;500 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Despite having programmed ATC's descent crossing restriction; the flight crew of a B737-400 failed to comply when the pilot flying disconnected the autoflight system and initiated a descent rate less than that required to comply.
Narrative: Prior to initial descent; at FL310; ATC had assigned a crossing restriction of FL290 at a specific fix. The First Officer was pilot flying. The autopilot was ON with FL290 selected [in the altitude alert]; fix information designated; LNAV ON; and VNAV engaged to do an idle descent. Just as the autopilot was about to begin the descent; ATC called to ask if we were going to make the crossing restriction. I replied with a yes but the First Officer was apparently startled and reacted by taking the aircraft controls and disengaging the autopilot which resulted in the aircraft not beginning its planned idle descent. I told the First Officer to use the speedbrake to get the aircraft down but he was not responding so I activated the speedbrakes. The First Officer was still not responding adequately enough. I told him to push the nose over and use increased speed to get it down but he still did not respond quick enough; seeming to do a gradual descent; resulting in us missing the crossing restriction by 1;500 FT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.