Altitude deviation altitude undershot and failure to make altitude restriction.

Attributes
ACN	174469
Time
Date	199104
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 2650
ASRS Report	174469
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Had experienced difficulty trimming from takeoff. Poor climb performance (normal for this type) resulted in a very short cruise segment at FL330. During cruise the second officer and I attempted to isolate the trim problem using flight manual procedure. This distraction resulted in a late start on the profile descent. Compounded by 40-50 KTS tailwind, maximum descent was insufficient to meet the FL190 crossing at fim. Center questioned our ability to make restrictions at about FL250. We responded that it was doubtful. Controller then lifted altitude airspeed restrictions for symon crossing. We were back on profile by sadde. Lesson: aviate, navigation and communicate in that order. More specifically. Don't be doing maintenance's work at the expense of our own! There is a trend to put more and more pressure on crews to troubleshoot problem in flight and then enter complicated mrm (maintenance reporting message) code into the ACARS. The older ACARS on the large transport are ill suited to the increasingly complex communication expected. Subsequent inspection at lax revealed a major structural failure of the #5 flight spoiler panel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION ALT UNDERSHOT AND FAILURE TO MAKE ALT RESTRICTION.

Narrative: HAD EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY TRIMMING FROM TKOF. POOR CLB PERFORMANCE (NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE) RESULTED IN A VERY SHORT CRUISE SEGMENT AT FL330. DURING CRUISE THE S/O AND I ATTEMPTED TO ISOLATE THE TRIM PROB USING FLT MANUAL PROC. THIS DISTR RESULTED IN A LATE START ON THE PROFILE DSNT. COMPOUNDED BY 40-50 KTS TAILWIND, MAX DSNT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE FL190 XING AT FIM. CENTER QUESTIONED OUR ABILITY TO MAKE RESTRICTIONS AT ABOUT FL250. WE RESPONDED THAT IT WAS DOUBTFUL. CTLR THEN LIFTED ALT AIRSPD RESTRICTIONS FOR SYMON XING. WE WERE BACK ON PROFILE BY SADDE. LESSON: AVIATE, NAV AND COMMUNICATE IN THAT ORDER. MORE SPECIFICALLY. DON'T BE DOING MAINT'S WORK AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR OWN! THERE IS A TREND TO PUT MORE AND MORE PRESSURE ON CREWS TO TROUBLESHOOT PROB IN FLT AND THEN ENTER COMPLICATED MRM (MAINT RPTING MESSAGE) CODE INTO THE ACARS. THE OLDER ACARS ON THE LGT ARE ILL SUITED TO THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX COM EXPECTED. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION AT LAX REVEALED A MAJOR STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE #5 FLT SPOILER PANEL.

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.