<< >> NASA ASRS Report 303310, May 1995

An air carrier flight crew programmed FMS for VNAV, but forgot altitude hold selection. The error went unnoticed until ATC intervention. Crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	303310
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : rdu
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5960 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	303310
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On descent into rdu on south boston arrival we were cleared to cross aldan intersection at 250 KTS and 10000 ft by ZDC. We set that up in the FMS and altitude window and were then handed off to rdu approach. A different approach and landing runway was assigned. While briefing the new approach we became distracted and failed to notice the aircraft was in altitude hold and not VNAV. Approach asked us if we had been cleared to 10000 ft when we were just too close to aldan to make the 10000 ft and 250 KTS restr. We assumed the FMS would start the descent for us while briefing the approach. Lost situational awareness momentarily and subsequently failed to meet our restr. Advised via phone, there was no conflict and no action being taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC PROGRAMMED FMS FOR VNAV, BUT FORGOT ALT HOLD SELECTION. THE ERROR WENT UNNOTICED UNTIL ATC INTERVENTION. XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO RDU ON S BOSTON ARR WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS ALDAN INTXN AT 250 KTS AND 10000 FT BY ZDC. WE SET THAT UP IN THE FMS AND ALT WINDOW AND WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO RDU APCH. A DIFFERENT APCH AND LNDG RWY WAS ASSIGNED. WHILE BRIEFING THE NEW APCH WE BECAME DISTRACTED AND FAILED TO NOTICE THE ACFT WAS IN ALT HOLD AND NOT VNAV. APCH ASKED US IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 10000 FT WHEN WE WERE JUST TOO CLOSE TO ALDAN TO MAKE THE 10000 FT AND 250 KTS RESTR. WE ASSUMED THE FMS WOULD START THE DSCNT FOR US WHILE BRIEFING THE APCH. LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS MOMENTARILY AND SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED TO MEET OUR RESTR. ADVISED VIA PHONE, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND NO ACTION BEING TAKEN.

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.