An medium large transport descending in ZNY airspace misses the crossing restr at 20 mi west of lhy,...

Attributes
ACN	386954
Time
Date	199711
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lhy
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
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 other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	386954
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	387140
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise between cvg-swf, ZNY cleared aircraft for descent. Actual clearance 'cleared direct lhy cross 20 NM west at FL190.' I started descent using IAS function of autoplt. I then programmed the FMS for the route change and entered the crossing restr. However, I never selected 'VNAV.' when I noticed aircraft approaching waypoint (20 mi west lhy) first officer called to my attention we would have trouble making the altitude restr. We leveled at FL190 approximately 5 mi late (15 NM southwest lhy). Cause of incident was my lack of attention to autoplt/aircraft performance. A significant factor was the very recent death of a very close relative (1 week ago) and my inability to concentrate as well as I usually can. Supplemental information from acn 387140: he then programmed the FMS for the route change and entered the crossing restr. 'Navigation' was selected. Approaching the crossing restr, I noticed that we were going to have trouble making the restr and realized the captain never engaged 'VNAV.' the captain increased to the maximum rate of descent and leveled the aircraft at FL190 approximately 5 NM late. The cause of the incident was lack of attention to the autoplt/aircraft performance. Complacency and overreliance on automation was also a contributing factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG DSNDING IN ZNY AIRSPACE MISSES THE XING RESTR AT 20 MI W OF LHY, PA.

Narrative: IN CRUISE BTWN CVG-SWF, ZNY CLRED ACFT FOR DSCNT. ACTUAL CLRNC 'CLRED DIRECT LHY CROSS 20 NM W AT FL190.' I STARTED DSCNT USING IAS FUNCTION OF AUTOPLT. I THEN PROGRAMMED THE FMS FOR THE RTE CHANGE AND ENTERED THE XING RESTR. HOWEVER, I NEVER SELECTED 'VNAV.' WHEN I NOTICED ACFT APCHING WAYPOINT (20 MI W LHY) FO CALLED TO MY ATTN WE WOULD HAVE TROUBLE MAKING THE ALT RESTR. WE LEVELED AT FL190 APPROX 5 MI LATE (15 NM SW LHY). CAUSE OF INCIDENT WAS MY LACK OF ATTN TO AUTOPLT/ACFT PERFORMANCE. A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR WAS THE VERY RECENT DEATH OF A VERY CLOSE RELATIVE (1 WK AGO) AND MY INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE AS WELL AS I USUALLY CAN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 387140: HE THEN PROGRAMMED THE FMS FOR THE RTE CHANGE AND ENTERED THE XING RESTR. 'NAV' WAS SELECTED. APCHING THE XING RESTR, I NOTICED THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE MAKING THE RESTR AND REALIZED THE CAPT NEVER ENGAGED 'VNAV.' THE CAPT INCREASED TO THE MAX RATE OF DSCNT AND LEVELED THE ACFT AT FL190 APPROX 5 NM LATE. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS LACK OF ATTN TO THE AUTOPLT/ACFT PERFORMANCE. COMPLACENCY AND OVERRELIANCE ON AUTOMATION WAS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.

An medium large transport descending in ZNY airspace misses the crossing restr at 20 mi west of lhy, PA.