<< >> NASA ASRS Report 107444, March 1989

While attempting to make an assigned crossing restriction during descent the pilot flying failed to level off at the assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	107444
Time
Date	198903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tvt
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28600 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	107444
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer flying. Clearance received to cross 55 south of tiverton at FL290. First officer started down late but in time to make restriction. Asked at 60 miles if he was going to make restriction. He replied yes. He was in position to make restriction but failed to commence level off in time to arrest rate of descent. Aircraft bottomed out at 28600'. ATC did not make any comment. First officer put me in position where I was forced to either fly his airplane for him or subject myself to violation. In fairness it's my fault for letting him get in a position which forced me to choose between two distasteful courses of action. His being a downgraded captain added to the complexity of the decision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN ASSIGNED CROSSING RESTRICTION DURING DESCENT THE PLT FLYING FAILED TO LEVEL OFF AT THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: FO FLYING. CLRNC RECEIVED TO CROSS 55 SOUTH OF TIVERTON AT FL290. F/O STARTED DOWN LATE BUT IN TIME TO MAKE RESTRICTION. ASKED AT 60 MILES IF HE WAS GOING TO MAKE RESTRICTION. HE REPLIED YES. HE WAS IN POSITION TO MAKE RESTRICTION BUT FAILED TO COMMENCE LEVEL OFF IN TIME TO ARREST RATE OF DSCNT. ACFT BOTTOMED OUT AT 28600'. ATC DID NOT MAKE ANY COMMENT. F/O PUT ME IN POSITION WHERE I WAS FORCED TO EITHER FLY HIS AIRPLANE FOR HIM OR SUBJECT MYSELF TO VIOLATION. IN FAIRNESS IT'S MY FAULT FOR LETTING HIM GET IN A POSITION WHICH FORCED ME TO CHOOSE BTWN TWO DISTASTEFUL COURSES OF ACTION. HIS BEING A DOWNGRADED CAPT ADDED TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE DECISION.

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