Medium large transport flight crew misses crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	274167
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : lax
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	274167
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller supervisory : 60 flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 50300
ASRS Report	274965
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During initial descent I selected the civet profile descent to lax. After entering the crossing restrs, 'too steep path' was shown between bremer at 12000 ft and merce at 4000 ft. Since I have experienced this to be the case, I decided to try selecting a crossing restr of 10000 ft to force the FMS to descend us a little earlier and I would manually intervene for crossing restr. I've never done this before nor is it a recommended procedure. Then, the lead flight attendant entered the cockpit and stated he smelled electrical fumes. This was passing about FL200. Both the first officer and myself were concerned about this and we also smelled electrical fumes. At bremer, approach control asked us out altitude which was 10500 ft. I had neglected to manually intervene to stop the descent at 12000 ft. I will not use this technique again. Always setting the crossing restr in the FMS is the only proper way to program the FMS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC MISSES XING RESTR.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL DSCNT I SELECTED THE CIVET PROFILE DSCNT TO LAX. AFTER ENTERING THE XING RESTRS, 'TOO STEEP PATH' WAS SHOWN BTWN BREMER AT 12000 FT AND MERCE AT 4000 FT. SINCE I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TO BE THE CASE, I DECIDED TO TRY SELECTING A XING RESTR OF 10000 FT TO FORCE THE FMS TO DSND US A LITTLE EARLIER AND I WOULD MANUALLY INTERVENE FOR XING RESTR. I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE NOR IS IT A RECOMMENDED PROC. THEN, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND STATED HE SMELLED ELECTRICAL FUMES. THIS WAS PASSING ABOUT FL200. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND WE ALSO SMELLED ELECTRICAL FUMES. AT BREMER, APCH CTL ASKED US OUT ALT WHICH WAS 10500 FT. I HAD NEGLECTED TO MANUALLY INTERVENE TO STOP THE DSCNT AT 12000 FT. I WILL NOT USE THIS TECHNIQUE AGAIN. ALWAYS SETTING THE XING RESTR IN THE FMS IS THE ONLY PROPER WAY TO PROGRAM THE FMS.

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.