Narrative:

Our flight was en route dtw-bwi at FL370. Captain was flying. We were cleared direct lizzio intersection (I had radial (101 degree) and DME (34) off of new VOR set up as a backup.) ATC cleared us to FL350. We descended and leveled. Received a frequency change, then received a clearance to cross lizzio at FL270. Captain programmed the crossing restriction into the FMC correctly, he planned to wait until we reached the top of descent point shown on the FMC descent page to begin our idle power descent. Prior to the FMC computed TOD point, ATC requested that we begin our descent. Captain used V/south made of autoplt and started down. (If he had engaged the 'capture' mode/function on the descent page, we would have begun a 1000 FPM descent until we captured the profile.) while in the descent captain checked our profile on descent page of FMC - we'd gotten behind (it showed us high) on the profile. Captain extended the speed brakes, increased our speed and our rate of descent. FMC showed that we crossed lizzio at FL279. (We reached FL270 approximately 2-3 mi east of lizzio intersection.) no traffic advisories were issued by TCASII in our descent, and ATC did not question our altitude over lizzio. In retrospect, the captain knew what our crossing restriction was, programmed the FMC correctly, monitored our progress in the descent - he just waited too long to correct our profile. This occurred on the last leg of our 3 day trip. Prior to our departure on the first day of the trip, the captain informed me that he liked to treat the 'capture' button on the descent page as if it were broken - he liked to make idle power descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MISSES XING RESTRICTION ON DSCNT. REACHES PROPER ALT IN 2-3 MI.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS ENRTE DTW-BWI AT FL370. CAPT WAS FLYING. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT LIZZIO INTERSECTION (I HAD RADIAL (101 DEG) AND DME (34) OFF OF NEW VOR SET UP AS A BACKUP.) ATC CLRED US TO FL350. WE DSNDED AND LEVELED. RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE, THEN RECEIVED A CLRNC TO CROSS LIZZIO AT FL270. CAPT PROGRAMMED THE XING RESTRICTION INTO THE FMC CORRECTLY, HE PLANNED TO WAIT UNTIL WE REACHED THE TOP OF DSCNT POINT SHOWN ON THE FMC DSCNT PAGE TO BEGIN OUR IDLE PWR DSCNT. PRIOR TO THE FMC COMPUTED TOD POINT, ATC REQUESTED THAT WE BEGIN OUR DSCNT. CAPT USED V/S MADE OF AUTOPLT AND STARTED DOWN. (IF HE HAD ENGAGED THE 'CAPTURE' MODE/FUNCTION ON THE DSCNT PAGE, WE WOULD HAVE BEGUN A 1000 FPM DSCNT UNTIL WE CAPTURED THE PROFILE.) WHILE IN THE DSCNT CAPT CHKED OUR PROFILE ON DSCNT PAGE OF FMC - WE'D GOTTEN BEHIND (IT SHOWED US HIGH) ON THE PROFILE. CAPT EXTENDED THE SPD BRAKES, INCREASED OUR SPD AND OUR RATE OF DSCNT. FMC SHOWED THAT WE CROSSED LIZZIO AT FL279. (WE REACHED FL270 APPROX 2-3 MI E OF LIZZIO INTERSECTION.) NO TFC ADVISORIES WERE ISSUED BY TCASII IN OUR DSCNT, AND ATC DID NOT QUESTION OUR ALT OVER LIZZIO. IN RETROSPECT, THE CAPT KNEW WHAT OUR XING RESTRICTION WAS, PROGRAMMED THE FMC CORRECTLY, MONITORED OUR PROGRESS IN THE DSCNT - HE JUST WAITED TOO LONG TO CORRECT OUR PROFILE. THIS OCCURRED ON THE LAST LEG OF OUR 3 DAY TRIP. PRIOR TO OUR DEP ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE TRIP, THE CAPT INFORMED ME THAT HE LIKED TO TREAT THE 'CAPTURE' BUTTON ON THE DSCNT PAGE AS IF IT WERE BROKEN - HE LIKED TO MAKE IDLE PWR DSCNT.

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.