Widebody transport 3 person crew misses consecutive altitudes on paradise arrival into lax.

Attributes
ACN	447650
Time
Date	199908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : paradise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	447650
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

All 3 pilots misread the altitudes for the check-points on descent as per paradise arrival to lax. We were approximately 1000 ft low on each one -- we used the MEA numbers. Reason -- I was so focused on the accuracy (or not) of the INS units (99% of the time we have GPS/FMS), I overlooked the target numbers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB 3 PERSON CREW MISSES CONSECUTIVE ALTS ON PARADISE ARR INTO LAX.

Narrative: ALL 3 PLTS MISREAD THE ALTS FOR THE CHK-POINTS ON DSCNT AS PER PARADISE ARR TO LAX. WE WERE APPROX 1000 FT LOW ON EACH ONE -- WE USED THE MEA NUMBERS. REASON -- I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THE ACCURACY (OR NOT) OF THE INS UNITS (99% OF THE TIME WE HAVE GPS/FMS), I OVERLOOKED THE TARGET NUMBERS.

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.