First officer of an light transport failed to make a crossing restr altitude due to insufficient rat...

Attributes
ACN	320800
Time
Date	199511
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tnv airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zhu
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	320800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from dfw to hou proceeding direct navasota VOR. Controller said start descent now. We had not acknowledged receiving instructions prior to that. Queried as to what clearance was. He said cross navasota at 9000 ft. We were at 17000 ft. First officer flying has only 74 hours in type. She starts down at 1000 FPM, very strong tailwinds. We're showing 327 KTS in descent, normally might be 290 KTS. I mention to increase descent. She goes to 1500 FPM. As we get closer to fix I mention again to roll in some more rate as it looked like it'll be close. She goes to 1800 FPM. Looks real close. Going through 10000 ft, I look at arrival (struk 8 to hou) to see outbound radial. This is a double check and look up to see she has relaxed descent. We cross navasota at 9400 ft or 9300 ft. Given switch to approach control with no comment. No conflict noted. Situation caused by late descent to fix and new first officer not realizing how fast we're going. As captain trying to let her learn a little was a little slow in commenting on rate of descent. Should have suggested 2000 FPM to start. Better to be early than late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF AN LTT FAILED TO MAKE A XING RESTR ALT DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RATE OF DSCNT.

Narrative: EN RTE FROM DFW TO HOU PROCEEDING DIRECT NAVASOTA VOR. CTLR SAID START DSCNT NOW. WE HAD NOT ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO THAT. QUERIED AS TO WHAT CLRNC WAS. HE SAID CROSS NAVASOTA AT 9000 FT. WE WERE AT 17000 FT. FO FLYING HAS ONLY 74 HRS IN TYPE. SHE STARTS DOWN AT 1000 FPM, VERY STRONG TAILWINDS. WE'RE SHOWING 327 KTS IN DSCNT, NORMALLY MIGHT BE 290 KTS. I MENTION TO INCREASE DSCNT. SHE GOES TO 1500 FPM. AS WE GET CLOSER TO FIX I MENTION AGAIN TO ROLL IN SOME MORE RATE AS IT LOOKED LIKE IT'LL BE CLOSE. SHE GOES TO 1800 FPM. LOOKS REAL CLOSE. GOING THROUGH 10000 FT, I LOOK AT ARR (STRUK 8 TO HOU) TO SEE OUTBOUND RADIAL. THIS IS A DOUBLE CHK AND LOOK UP TO SEE SHE HAS RELAXED DSCNT. WE CROSS NAVASOTA AT 9400 FT OR 9300 FT. GIVEN SWITCH TO APCH CTL WITH NO COMMENT. NO CONFLICT NOTED. SIT CAUSED BY LATE DSCNT TO FIX AND NEW FO NOT REALIZING HOW FAST WE'RE GOING. AS CAPT TRYING TO LET HER LEARN A LITTLE WAS A LITTLE SLOW IN COMMENTING ON RATE OF DSCNT. SHOULD HAVE SUGGESTED 2000 FPM TO START. BETTER TO BE EARLY THAN LATE.

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.

First officer of an light transport failed to make a crossing restr altitude due to insufficient rate of descent.