A cpr flight crew flying a DA2000 near apa fails to level off at their assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	478470
Time
Date	200007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : larks
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 16700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Dassault-Breguet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : larks 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	478470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Given descent clearance to cross larks intersection at 17000 ft. Used FMS VNAV computer for descent profile. Before reaching 17000 ft, given 'direct to' clearance to another fix. While programming FMS to new fix, noticed aircraft 300 ft below assigned altitude. (When using VNAV on this FMS (gnsx-es) if you reprogram FMS before it completes a previous VNAV function it gets confused. FMS needs to be more user friendly.) after given new 'direct to' clearance a frequency change was issued and we were given clearance to descend to 14000 ft. Corrective actions: better awareness, better crew coordination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR FLC FLYING A DA2000 NEAR APA FAILS TO LEVEL OFF AT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: GIVEN DSCNT CLRNC TO CROSS LARKS INTXN AT 17000 FT. USED FMS VNAV COMPUTER FOR DSCNT PROFILE. BEFORE REACHING 17000 FT, GIVEN 'DIRECT TO' CLRNC TO ANOTHER FIX. WHILE PROGRAMMING FMS TO NEW FIX, NOTICED ACFT 300 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. (WHEN USING VNAV ON THIS FMS (GNSX-ES) IF YOU REPROGRAM FMS BEFORE IT COMPLETES A PREVIOUS VNAV FUNCTION IT GETS CONFUSED. FMS NEEDS TO BE MORE USER FRIENDLY.) AFTER GIVEN NEW 'DIRECT TO' CLRNC A FREQ CHANGE WAS ISSUED AND WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO 14000 FT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: BETTER AWARENESS, BETTER CREW COORD.

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.