<< >> NASA ASRS Report 239136, April 1993

First officer of an light transport air carrier aircraft undershot the descent on a STAR resulting in not meeting an ATC crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	239136
Time
Date	199304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : iah
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 3200
ASRS Report	239136
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 : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a descent into iah, we had a crossing restriction of 8000 ft at an intersection on the sabine 5 STAR. The captain set in 8000 in the altitude select but in my mind I had 9000. We were very tired, the trip was a stand up overnight. Our duty time was going to exceed 15 hours at the time of the incident. I leveled off at 9000 only to hear the controller inform us that we were supposed to be at 8000. Neither of us noticed the restriction mistake until the controller called. A definite factor was our lack of rest and long duty time. Things of this nature happen everyday, but there is no test for fatigue. The problem is not drugs and drug testing, but long duty time! Think about it -- small cramped space for several long hours doing a mentally demanding job with noise, vibration, little or no food, and the sun constantly battering your body. Now there is the real problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN LTT ACR ACFT UNDERSHOT THE DSCNT ON A STAR RESULTING IN NOT MEETING AN ATC XING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: ON A DSCNT INTO IAH, WE HAD A XING RESTRICTION OF 8000 FT AT AN INTXN ON THE SABINE 5 STAR. THE CAPT SET IN 8000 IN THE ALT SELECT BUT IN MY MIND I HAD 9000. WE WERE VERY TIRED, THE TRIP WAS A STAND UP OVERNIGHT. OUR DUTY TIME WAS GOING TO EXCEED 15 HRS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I LEVELED OFF AT 9000 ONLY TO HEAR THE CTLR INFORM US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 8000. NEITHER OF US NOTICED THE RESTRICTION MISTAKE UNTIL THE CTLR CALLED. A DEFINITE FACTOR WAS OUR LACK OF REST AND LONG DUTY TIME. THINGS OF THIS NATURE HAPPEN EVERYDAY, BUT THERE IS NO TEST FOR FATIGUE. THE PROB IS NOT DRUGS AND DRUG TESTING, BUT LONG DUTY TIME! THINK ABOUT IT -- SMALL CRAMPED SPACE FOR SEVERAL LONG HRS DOING A MENTALLY DEMANDING JOB WITH NOISE, VIBRATION, LITTLE OR NO FOOD, AND THE SUN CONSTANTLY BATTERING YOUR BODY. NOW THERE IS THE REAL PROB.

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.