Captain undershot crossing restr altitude on descent due to misprogramming the aircraft FMS.

Attributes
ACN	454230
Time
Date	199911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	454230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a restr to cross 10 mi south of bna at FL310. The captain typed in bna/10 mi at FL310 in the FMS, which put the restr at 10 mi north of bna. I checked his work as the PNF and evidently talked myself into thinking he had typed it in right when it wasn't. As we approached bna, I was questioning in my mind why we hadn't yet descended. At about the same time, center asked us to descend to FL310, which we did. Nothing else was said by center and no conflict arose. I discussed our clearance with the captain and we agreed he had typed it in the FMS wrong. I needed to be more alert to the possibility of an FMS entry error being entered.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT UNDERSHOT XING RESTR ALT ON DSCNT DUE TO MISPROGRAMMING THE ACFT FMS.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A RESTR TO CROSS 10 MI S OF BNA AT FL310. THE CAPT TYPED IN BNA/10 MI AT FL310 IN THE FMS, WHICH PUT THE RESTR AT 10 MI N OF BNA. I CHKED HIS WORK AS THE PNF AND EVIDENTLY TALKED MYSELF INTO THINKING HE HAD TYPED IT IN RIGHT WHEN IT WASN'T. AS WE APCHED BNA, I WAS QUESTIONING IN MY MIND WHY WE HADN'T YET DSNDED. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, CTR ASKED US TO DSND TO FL310, WHICH WE DID. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY CTR AND NO CONFLICT AROSE. I DISCUSSED OUR CLRNC WITH THE CAPT AND WE AGREED HE HAD TYPED IT IN THE FMS WRONG. I NEEDED TO BE MORE ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF AN FMS ENTRY ERROR BEING ENTERED.

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.