Captain of an large transport air carrier aircraft descended too slow and undershot a crossing restr...

Attributes
ACN	250965
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etx
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	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 pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	250965
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
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain was given clearance to cross 'vibes' intersection at 13000 ft. Already in a descent, but close to vibes, captain set up for a managed descent. Crossing restr could have been made by using a manual descent. As it turned out we crossed vibes 2000 ft high. I could have spoken up earlier to let him know about the problem. However, he is not communicative and did not react well to other problems I pointed out. I should have spoken up as soon as I realized it. Captain's solution was for me to tell ATC that we would be high at vibes. The original problem of being high was caused by playing with the automated functions of the large transport rather than taking control and flying the airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LGT ACR ACFT DSNDED TOO SLOW AND UNDERSHOT A XING RESTR ALT.

Narrative: CAPT WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 'VIBES' INTXN AT 13000 FT. ALREADY IN A DSCNT, BUT CLOSE TO VIBES, CAPT SET UP FOR A MANAGED DSCNT. XING RESTR COULD HAVE BEEN MADE BY USING A MANUAL DSCNT. AS IT TURNED OUT WE CROSSED VIBES 2000 FT HIGH. I COULD HAVE SPOKEN UP EARLIER TO LET HIM KNOW ABOUT THE PROB. HOWEVER, HE IS NOT COMMUNICATIVE AND DID NOT REACT WELL TO OTHER PROBS I POINTED OUT. I SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP AS SOON AS I REALIZED IT. CAPT'S SOLUTION WAS FOR ME TO TELL ATC THAT WE WOULD BE HIGH AT VIBES. THE ORIGINAL PROB OF BEING HIGH WAS CAUSED BY PLAYING WITH THE AUTOMATED FUNCTIONS OF THE LGT RATHER THAN TAKING CTL AND FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

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.

Captain of an large transport air carrier aircraft descended too slow and undershot a crossing restr altitude.