737 on descent misses crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	300912
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ogd
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	300912
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to slc at FL310. We were cleared the ogden 5 arrival with a descent clearance to cross bearr (25 NM northwest ogden VOR) at 17000 ft. STAR path tracks outbound burley VOR radial 117 degrees to ogden VOR radial 302 degrees, then radar vectors. The STAR depicts the ogden VOR very close to the salt lake city VOR. I (captain) was flying the aircraft outbound the burley VOR radial, first officer had switched his VOR to salt lake city VOR for distance to the field. However, he did not verbally announce that he had switched to slc - I thought he was on ogden. Because of unfamiliarity with arrival (only 2ND time into slc), I switched over to slc VOR inbound (should have been ogden). We discussed the fact the outbound and inbound radials did not match up but neither of us discovered my mistake. I therefore tracked off course and, because of looking at the wrong DME, started the descent too lake to make the crossing restr (bearr at 17000 ft). ATC asked us if we were going to make bearr at 17000 ft when we were 8 NM prior. I replied we would probably be a little high. We crossed bearr at about FL190 and about 5 mi west of course. Contributing factors: 1) beautiful WX, day VFR ergo complacency. 2) unfamiliarity with arrival (no excuse). 3) slightly confusing depiction (proximity of ogden to slc VOR). 4) lack of communication with first officer regarding NAVAID setup. 5) failure to diagnose problem correctly when inbound radials did not match up. 6) first officer was obtaining ATIS at the time - therefore his attention was distracted from adequately monitoring the arrival and descent. Lessons: 1) prepare more diligently when flying an unfamiliar arrival. 2) better communication when changing NAVAID setup - if either of us had announced 'switching to slc' when we did it, the other might have realized ogden should have been set. 3) take nothing for granted when things do not look right - I should have realized something was wrong when the radials did not match up. 4) obtain ATIS earlier so distrs are held to a minimum during descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 737 ON DSCNT MISSES XING RESTR.

Narrative: INBOUND TO SLC AT FL310. WE WERE CLRED THE OGDEN 5 ARR WITH A DSCNT CLRNC TO CROSS BEARR (25 NM NW OGDEN VOR) AT 17000 FT. STAR PATH TRACKS OUTBOUND BURLEY VOR RADIAL 117 DEGS TO OGDEN VOR RADIAL 302 DEGS, THEN RADAR VECTORS. THE STAR DEPICTS THE OGDEN VOR VERY CLOSE TO THE SALT LAKE CITY VOR. I (CAPT) WAS FLYING THE ACFT OUTBOUND THE BURLEY VOR RADIAL, FO HAD SWITCHED HIS VOR TO SALT LAKE CITY VOR FOR DISTANCE TO THE FIELD. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT VERBALLY ANNOUNCE THAT HE HAD SWITCHED TO SLC - I THOUGHT HE WAS ON OGDEN. BECAUSE OF UNFAMILIARITY WITH ARR (ONLY 2ND TIME INTO SLC), I SWITCHED OVER TO SLC VOR INBOUND (SHOULD HAVE BEEN OGDEN). WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THE OUTBOUND AND INBOUND RADIALS DID NOT MATCH UP BUT NEITHER OF US DISCOVERED MY MISTAKE. I THEREFORE TRACKED OFF COURSE AND, BECAUSE OF LOOKING AT THE WRONG DME, STARTED THE DSCNT TOO LAKE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR (BEARR AT 17000 FT). ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE BEARR AT 17000 FT WHEN WE WERE 8 NM PRIOR. I REPLIED WE WOULD PROBABLY BE A LITTLE HIGH. WE CROSSED BEARR AT ABOUT FL190 AND ABOUT 5 MI W OF COURSE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) BEAUTIFUL WX, DAY VFR ERGO COMPLACENCY. 2) UNFAMILIARITY WITH ARR (NO EXCUSE). 3) SLIGHTLY CONFUSING DEPICTION (PROX OF OGDEN TO SLC VOR). 4) LACK OF COM WITH FO REGARDING NAVAID SETUP. 5) FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PROB CORRECTLY WHEN INBOUND RADIALS DID NOT MATCH UP. 6) FO WAS OBTAINING ATIS AT THE TIME - THEREFORE HIS ATTN WAS DISTRACTED FROM ADEQUATELY MONITORING THE ARR AND DSCNT. LESSONS: 1) PREPARE MORE DILIGENTLY WHEN FLYING AN UNFAMILIAR ARR. 2) BETTER COM WHEN CHANGING NAVAID SETUP - IF EITHER OF US HAD ANNOUNCED 'SWITCHING TO SLC' WHEN WE DID IT, THE OTHER MIGHT HAVE REALIZED OGDEN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SET. 3) TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED WHEN THINGS DO NOT LOOK RIGHT - I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN THE RADIALS DID NOT MATCH UP. 4) OBTAIN ATIS EARLIER SO DISTRS ARE HELD TO A MINIMUM DURING DSCNT.

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.