Altitude deviation. Missed crossing restriction in descent.

Attributes
ACN	122866
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival : profile descent arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	122866
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	123034
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descending into lax on profile descent approximately 60 mi east of lax. Talking on frequency 134.75. Altitude alert sounded at 15000' for the 14000' restriction at 52 DME. Rate of descent was approximately 3500 FPM to maintain 320 KIAS as required by ATC. I reset altitude alert for 10000' (the next restriction) and was diverted by a long series of coughing and nose runs due to lengthy bout of bronchitis. My mind was diverted to care for my physical needs and neither I nor the copilot noticed that we had descended below 14000' prior to the 52 DME fix. At 50 DME and 10500' we both noticed my error and ATC controller then asked us to verify our altitude. We did and told him we had inadvertently set 10000' and admitted our mistake. He (ATC) said 'no problem, continue at 10000' and 320 KIAS to the 30 DME fix.' there was no traffic conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. MISSED CROSSING RESTRICTION IN DESCENT.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO LAX ON PROFILE DSCNT APPROX 60 MI E OF LAX. TALKING ON FREQ 134.75. ALT ALERT SOUNDED AT 15000' FOR THE 14000' RESTRICTION AT 52 DME. RATE OF DSCNT WAS APPROX 3500 FPM TO MAINTAIN 320 KIAS AS REQUIRED BY ATC. I RESET ALT ALERT FOR 10000' (THE NEXT RESTRICTION) AND WAS DIVERTED BY A LONG SERIES OF COUGHING AND NOSE RUNS DUE TO LENGTHY BOUT OF BRONCHITIS. MY MIND WAS DIVERTED TO CARE FOR MY PHYSICAL NEEDS AND NEITHER I NOR THE COPLT NOTICED THAT WE HAD DSNDED BELOW 14000' PRIOR TO THE 52 DME FIX. AT 50 DME AND 10500' WE BOTH NOTICED MY ERROR AND ATC CTLR THEN ASKED US TO VERIFY OUR ALT. WE DID AND TOLD HIM WE HAD INADVERTENTLY SET 10000' AND ADMITTED OUR MISTAKE. HE (ATC) SAID 'NO PROB, CONTINUE AT 10000' AND 320 KIAS TO THE 30 DME FIX.' THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT.

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.