<< >> NASA ASRS Report 422404, December 1998

Flight crew of an md super 80 failed to make a crossing altitude due to forgetting ATC instructions because of delaying their descent. ARTCC radar controller intervened to question their descent from the crossing fix.

Attributes
ACN	422404
Time
Date	199812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tys
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	422404
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	422900
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to dca, cruising at FL330, given clearance to cross 80 NM south of ric at FL270 while 140 NM south of ric, delayed descent because of distance remaining. Subsequently forgot descent clearance until asked by controller what DME was from ric, which was 82 DME south. Clearly was crew error. Due to lack of technology in this aircraft, I usually start a discretionary descent immediate, but this was given so far out I elected to wait. That turned out to be a poor choice. Supplemental information from acn 422900: eventually forgot about descent till reminded by ATC. For my part fatigue was somewhat of a factor. Although day was short (approximately 6 hours to that point), the previous night in the hotel my sleep was interrupted when I awoke with a sore back in the middle of the night. I think focusing on the descent more closely and perhaps talking about it with the PF and verbalizing when the descent will be started would be a good idea.

Related reports:

• Flight crew of an light transport landed without clearance d...

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

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD SUPER 80 FAILED TO MAKE A XING ALT DUE TO FORGETTING ATC INSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE OF DELAYING THEIR DSCNT. ARTCC RADAR CTLR INTERVENED TO QUESTION THEIR DSCNT FROM THE XING FIX.

Narrative: ENRTE TO DCA, CRUISING AT FL330, GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 80 NM S OF RIC AT FL270 WHILE 140 NM S OF RIC, DELAYED DSCNT BECAUSE OF DISTANCE REMAINING. SUBSEQUENTLY FORGOT DSCNT CLRNC UNTIL ASKED BY CTLR WHAT DME WAS FROM RIC, WHICH WAS 82 DME S. CLRLY WAS CREW ERROR. DUE TO LACK OF TECHNOLOGY IN THIS ACFT, I USUALLY START A DISCRETIONARY DSCNT IMMEDIATE, BUT THIS WAS GIVEN SO FAR OUT I ELECTED TO WAIT. THAT TURNED OUT TO BE A POOR CHOICE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 422900: EVENTUALLY FORGOT ABOUT DSCNT TILL REMINDED BY ATC. FOR MY PART FATIGUE WAS SOMEWHAT OF A FACTOR. ALTHOUGH DAY WAS SHORT (APPROX 6 HRS TO THAT POINT), THE PREVIOUS NIGHT IN THE HOTEL MY SLEEP WAS INTERRUPTED WHEN I AWOKE WITH A SORE BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. I THINK FOCUSING ON THE DSCNT MORE CLOSELY AND PERHAPS TALKING ABOUT IT WITH THE PF AND VERBALIZING WHEN THE DSCNT WILL BE STARTED WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

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.