Captain of a B727 undershot descent altitude due to the captain's complacency.

Attributes
ACN	360968
Time
Date	199702
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	360968
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	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:

We were cleared to cross holey intersection at 11000 ft into ewr. My captain who was flying missed it by 2000 ft. Before this happened I tried to get the attention of my captain but he was using the PA. I wanted to notify center that we would be unable to do so. Knowing my captain, if I did that without his permission, he would have scolded me. I feel that after this event (even though we had no TCASII targets) I much rather be written up and yelled at instead of putting the lives of the passenger in potential danger. (Not to mention a violation.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B727 UNDERSHOT DSCNT ALT DUE TO THE CAPT'S COMPLACENCY.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS HOLEY INTXN AT 11000 FT INTO EWR. MY CAPT WHO WAS FLYING MISSED IT BY 2000 FT. BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I TRIED TO GET THE ATTN OF MY CAPT BUT HE WAS USING THE PA. I WANTED TO NOTIFY CTR THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO DO SO. KNOWING MY CAPT, IF I DID THAT WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION, HE WOULD HAVE SCOLDED ME. I FEEL THAT AFTER THIS EVENT (EVEN THOUGH WE HAD NO TCASII TARGETS) I MUCH RATHER BE WRITTEN UP AND YELLED AT INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE LIVES OF THE PAX IN POTENTIAL DANGER. (NOT TO MENTION A VIOLATION.)

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.