<< >> NASA ASRS Report 213229, June 1992

Large transport flight crew misses crossing restriction due trying to program vertical navigation mode.

Attributes
ACN	213229
Time
Date	199206
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : zme
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 30000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	213229
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance 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:

On geetr 1 arrival to bna, told to cross 65 mi out at 16000. First officer flying. Used vertical navigation mode of FMS navigation system to descend from FL260 to 16000. System must have a fix so he used groat intersection, 72 mi from bna. Vertical navigation mode did not respond to his inputs, and I let the situation progress too far before intervening and missed crossing altitude. First officer new on aircraft and wanted to use automatic vertical navigation system. Did not recognize he was too close, and when I responded, it was too late to make the altitude. I let the situation go too far. First time in my career. Company puts too much emphasis on automation. I should have made it clear -- use the automation only when you have plenty of time for it to respond.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLC MISSES XING RESTRICTION DUE TRYING TO PROGRAM VERT NAV MODE.

Narrative: ON GEETR 1 ARR TO BNA, TOLD TO CROSS 65 MI OUT AT 16000. FO FLYING. USED VERT NAV MODE OF FMS NAV SYS TO DSND FROM FL260 TO 16000. SYS MUST HAVE A FIX SO HE USED GROAT INTXN, 72 MI FROM BNA. VERT NAV MODE DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS INPUTS, AND I LET THE SITUATION PROGRESS TOO FAR BEFORE INTERVENING AND MISSED XING ALT. FO NEW ON ACFT AND WANTED TO USE AUTO VERT NAV SYS. DID NOT RECOGNIZE HE WAS TOO CLOSE, AND WHEN I RESPONDED, IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE THE ALT. I LET THE SITUATION GO TOO FAR. FIRST TIME IN MY CAREER. COMPANY PUTS TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON AUTOMATION. I SHOULD HAVE MADE IT CLR -- USE THE AUTOMATION ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR IT TO RESPOND.

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.