B767 crew had altitude deviation on the civet 4 into lax.

Attributes
ACN	464230
Time
Date	200002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : bremr
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : cluet 4
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	464230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight feb/xa/00, (jfk-lax) in approach phase of flight from jfk to lax had experienced an altitude deviation. The aircraft was descending to FL180 from FL220. Approach control then changed our clearance to first slow to 250 KTS then cleared the civet profile. I first slowed to 250 KTS. Then to make the restr to cross civet above 14000 ft and at or below 17000 ft, I had to change the FMS mode from VNAV to flight level change, to increase rate of descent at a slower airspeed in a short distance to civet. We made the altitude for civet. The next restr was cross bremr at or above 12000 ft. I was checking for outside aircraft when I noticed that we were at 11500 ft about 1 mi prior to bremr. I stopped the descent and crossed bremr at 11000 ft. Then resumed the civet profile for an uneventful landing at lax. My mistake was to not return the FMS mode to VNAV after making the altitude restr at civet and then the FMS would control the remaining altitude constraints on the profile. The socal approach control never questioned my altitude during the approach. When given the airspeed restr, I cannot remember if the wording from approach control was, 'via the civet profile' or 'descend at 200 KTS on the civet profile.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW HAD ALTDEV ON THE CIVET 4 INTO LAX.

Narrative: FLT FEB/XA/00, (JFK-LAX) IN APCH PHASE OF FLT FROM JFK TO LAX HAD EXPERIENCED AN ALTDEV. THE ACFT WAS DSNDING TO FL180 FROM FL220. APCH CTL THEN CHANGED OUR CLRNC TO FIRST SLOW TO 250 KTS THEN CLRED THE CIVET PROFILE. I FIRST SLOWED TO 250 KTS. THEN TO MAKE THE RESTR TO CROSS CIVET ABOVE 14000 FT AND AT OR BELOW 17000 FT, I HAD TO CHANGE THE FMS MODE FROM VNAV TO FLT LEVEL CHANGE, TO INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT AT A SLOWER AIRSPD IN A SHORT DISTANCE TO CIVET. WE MADE THE ALT FOR CIVET. THE NEXT RESTR WAS CROSS BREMR AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT. I WAS CHKING FOR OUTSIDE ACFT WHEN I NOTICED THAT WE WERE AT 11500 FT ABOUT 1 MI PRIOR TO BREMR. I STOPPED THE DSCNT AND CROSSED BREMR AT 11000 FT. THEN RESUMED THE CIVET PROFILE FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT LAX. MY MISTAKE WAS TO NOT RETURN THE FMS MODE TO VNAV AFTER MAKING THE ALT RESTR AT CIVET AND THEN THE FMS WOULD CTL THE REMAINING ALT CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROFILE. THE SOCAL APCH CTL NEVER QUESTIONED MY ALT DURING THE APCH. WHEN GIVEN THE AIRSPD RESTR, I CANNOT REMEMBER IF THE WORDING FROM APCH CTL WAS, 'VIA THE CIVET PROFILE' OR 'DSND AT 200 KTS ON THE CIVET PROFILE.'

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.