An air carrier medium large transport crew failed to make its assigned altitude on descent.

Attributes
ACN	234297
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : baf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	234297
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 non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to cross sadde at 12000. I told the captain that we were not going to make it. He went back to programming the FMC saying we were alright. We missed crossing by 1000 ft. We had been getting many changes in clearance and the arrival. The captain was upset and, before the incident, told me to get a phone number to call clearance when he got on the ground. The captain was upset, busy trying to program the FMC and didn't think much of my advice. Being new in an automated cockpit, I find that pilots are spending too much time playing with the computer in critical times rather than flying the aircraft. No one looks outside for traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW FAILED TO MAKE ITS ASSIGNED ALT ON DSCNT.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS SADDE AT 12000. I TOLD THE CAPT THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. HE WENT BACK TO PROGRAMMING THE FMC SAYING WE WERE ALRIGHT. WE MISSED XING BY 1000 FT. WE HAD BEEN GETTING MANY CHANGES IN CLRNC AND THE ARR. THE CAPT WAS UPSET AND, BEFORE THE INCIDENT, TOLD ME TO GET A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL CLRNC WHEN HE GOT ON THE GND. THE CAPT WAS UPSET, BUSY TRYING TO PROGRAM THE FMC AND DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF MY ADVICE. BEING NEW IN AN AUTOMATED COCKPIT, I FIND THAT PLTS ARE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME PLAYING WITH THE COMPUTER IN CRITICAL TIMES RATHER THAN FLYING THE ACFT. NO ONE LOOKS OUTSIDE FOR TFC.

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.