Altitude crossing restriction not met on descent and approach to lax.

Attributes
ACN	175331
Time
Date	199104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : lax
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	175331
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Mentioned to copilot several times 8000' crossing restriction. At 1000' to go he requested me to input into FMC. While I did that, he apparently slowed his descent rate and crossed at 8600'. I checked his altitude about 1/2 mi before crossing point. Said he would be high. Commanded an increase in rate, but we were still high. I believe that automation (FMC) input took my attention away, plus having a 2-M environment did not leave a back-up to the PF while I was checking FMC. Automatic throttles were also in use and I believe they might have caused the copilot to slow his rate of descent. I say this because later on I noticed that they caused him some difficulty on other legs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET ON DESCENT AND APCH TO LAX.

Narrative: MENTIONED TO COPLT SEVERAL TIMES 8000' XING RESTRICTION. AT 1000' TO GO HE REQUESTED ME TO INPUT INTO FMC. WHILE I DID THAT, HE APPARENTLY SLOWED HIS DSNT RATE AND CROSSED AT 8600'. I CHKED HIS ALT ABOUT 1/2 MI BEFORE XING POINT. SAID HE WOULD BE HIGH. COMMANDED AN INCREASE IN RATE, BUT WE WERE STILL HIGH. I BELIEVE THAT AUTOMATION (FMC) INPUT TOOK MY ATTN AWAY, PLUS HAVING A 2-M ENVIRONMENT DID NOT LEAVE A BACK-UP TO THE PF WHILE I WAS CHKING FMC. AUTO THROTTLES WERE ALSO IN USE AND I BELIEVE THEY MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE COPLT TO SLOW HIS RATE OF DSNT. I SAY THIS BECAUSE LATER ON I NOTICED THAT THEY CAUSED HIM SOME DIFFICULTY ON OTHER LEGS.

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.