<< >> NASA ASRS Report 410170, July 1998

Flight crew of a B737 undershot crossing fix on descent STAR due to complacency in starting the descent and distraction of entering FMC data for landing. No conflict noted.

Attributes
ACN	410170
Time
Date	199807
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 183 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 2005
ASRS Report	410170
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
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I did not descend to FL270 from FL330 (at my discretion) until too late. I had previously entered 24000 ft in the FMC at turlo but was busy programming the arrival runway and when I switched back to the descent page, I found that I was late to start the descent. I began a maximum rate descent +6000 FPM and estimate that turlo was crossed at about FL270. I leveled at FL240 approximately 3 mi past the turlo fix. The causal factor was distraction/inattention. I should have waited until after I descended to FL240 before I entered more FMC data. No aircraft separation compromised. No other aircraft were noted within 15 mi on TCASII.

Related reports:

• Captain of a B727 undershot descent altitude due to the capt...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737 UNDERSHOT XING FIX ON DSCNT STAR DUE TO COMPLACENCY IN STARTING THE DSCNT AND DISTR OF ENTERING FMC DATA FOR LNDG. NO CONFLICT NOTED.

Narrative: I DID NOT DSND TO FL270 FROM FL330 (AT MY DISCRETION) UNTIL TOO LATE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY ENTERED 24000 FT IN THE FMC AT TURLO BUT WAS BUSY PROGRAMMING THE ARR RWY AND WHEN I SWITCHED BACK TO THE DSCNT PAGE, I FOUND THAT I WAS LATE TO START THE DSCNT. I BEGAN A MAX RATE DSCNT +6000 FPM AND ESTIMATE THAT TURLO WAS CROSSED AT ABOUT FL270. I LEVELED AT FL240 APPROX 3 MI PAST THE TURLO FIX. THE CAUSAL FACTOR WAS DISTR/INATTENTION. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL AFTER I DSNDED TO FL240 BEFORE I ENTERED MORE FMC DATA. NO ACFT SEPARATION COMPROMISED. NO OTHER ACFT WERE NOTED WITHIN 15 MI ON TCASII.

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.