Crossing restriction in descent not met by air carrier medium large transport.

Attributes
ACN	134611
Time
Date	199001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6600 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	134611
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to cross 40 southeast of atl at 12000' at 250 KTS on the sinca 9 arrival at atl. Note: the altitude alerter was set to 12400, a code used by air carrier a pilots to indicate a crossing restriction and DME. At 58 DME/FL200 I asked the captain if we were going to make the altitude restriction. He said yes, then pulled power to idle, and extended the speed brakes. Just then ATC asked if we were going to make our altitude restriction. I looked at the captain. He nodded yes. I answered ATC 'affirmative.' the aircraft rate of descent was over 4000 FPM, but airspeed was building to 300 KTS. At 44 DME we were at 14500' center again asked if we were going to make our altitude. The captain said 'yes.' I answered center 'affirmative.' at this point I was distracted momentarily with a frequency change and descent checklist. When I looked up at the INS, I was surprised to see that we had leveled off at 14000'. The DME was 41 mi. I said 'we were supposed to cross at 12000'.' the captain looked at the alerter again and must have been surprised to see 12400'. He placed the aircraft into an immediate dive. I reminded him of the 250 KT restriction. He finally began to laugh and said 'we can't do it, can we.' center gave us a new restriction to cross 25 DME at or below 10000'/250 KTS, which we made. Possible cause: captain misread altitude alerter due to non-standard setting or 'coded' setting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CROSSING RESTRICTION IN DESCENT NOT MET BY ACR MLG.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 40 SE OF ATL AT 12000' AT 250 KTS ON THE SINCA 9 ARR AT ATL. NOTE: THE ALT ALERTER WAS SET TO 12400, A CODE USED BY ACR A PLTS TO INDICATE A XING RESTRICTION AND DME. AT 58 DME/FL200 I ASKED THE CAPT IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE ALT RESTRICTION. HE SAID YES, THEN PULLED PWR TO IDLE, AND EXTENDED THE SPD BRAKES. JUST THEN ATC ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR ALT RESTRICTION. I LOOKED AT THE CAPT. HE NODDED YES. I ANSWERED ATC 'AFFIRMATIVE.' THE ACFT RATE OF DSCNT WAS OVER 4000 FPM, BUT AIRSPD WAS BUILDING TO 300 KTS. AT 44 DME WE WERE AT 14500' CENTER AGAIN ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE OUR ALT. THE CAPT SAID 'YES.' I ANSWERED CENTER 'AFFIRMATIVE.' AT THIS POINT I WAS DISTRACTED MOMENTARILY WITH A FREQ CHANGE AND DSCNT CHKLIST. WHEN I LOOKED UP AT THE INS, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT WE HAD LEVELED OFF AT 14000'. THE DME WAS 41 MI. I SAID 'WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CROSS AT 12000'.' THE CAPT LOOKED AT THE ALERTER AGAIN AND MUST HAVE BEEN SURPRISED TO SEE 12400'. HE PLACED THE ACFT INTO AN IMMEDIATE DIVE. I REMINDED HIM OF THE 250 KT RESTRICTION. HE FINALLY BEGAN TO LAUGH AND SAID 'WE CAN'T DO IT, CAN WE.' CENTER GAVE US A NEW RESTRICTION TO CROSS 25 DME AT OR BELOW 10000'/250 KTS, WHICH WE MADE. POSSIBLE CAUSE: CAPT MISREAD ALT ALERTER DUE TO NON-STANDARD SETTING OR 'CODED' SETTING.

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