Narrative:

This report is in reference to missed crossing restr. While the controller said nothing to us in reference to this incident, I felt it was worthwhile to report the factors involved. The aircraft was a CL604 which as you know is heavily automated. I typed the restr and altitude into the FMS and engaged the vertical navigation portion of the autoplt. I then turned my attention to reviewing the peach springs arrival for las. Whether I did not type the information in correctly or there was some sort of equipment problem I'm not sure. Regardless, the aircraft did not start down on time and I didn't notice it. We started down manually (no autoplt -- I disengaged it) but still missed the restr. I placed too much faith in the automation and didn't monitor it. I think fatigue was also a factor. I fly an older CL601 with the 'steam' gauges and no FMS. We sometimes joke that it is easier to fly because 'what you see is what you get.' I'm sure that the ASRS gets quite a few reports of this type. I feel that the only way to prevent a recurrence of a problem of this type is to try our best to overcome the human tendency to trust something that has served us well many times in the past -- but may not in the present or the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A CPR CL604 FAILED TO MAKE XING RESTR DUE TO RELYING ON THE FMC AUTOPLT TOO LONG BEFORE TAKING OVER MANUALLY.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS IN REF TO MISSED XING RESTR. WHILE THE CTLR SAID NOTHING TO US IN REF TO THIS INCIDENT, I FELT IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO RPT THE FACTORS INVOLVED. THE ACFT WAS A CL604 WHICH AS YOU KNOW IS HEAVILY AUTOMATED. I TYPED THE RESTR AND ALT INTO THE FMS AND ENGAGED THE VERT NAV PORTION OF THE AUTOPLT. I THEN TURNED MY ATTN TO REVIEWING THE PEACH SPRINGS ARR FOR LAS. WHETHER I DID NOT TYPE THE INFO IN CORRECTLY OR THERE WAS SOME SORT OF EQUIP PROB I'M NOT SURE. REGARDLESS, THE ACFT DID NOT START DOWN ON TIME AND I DIDN'T NOTICE IT. WE STARTED DOWN MANUALLY (NO AUTOPLT -- I DISENGAGED IT) BUT STILL MISSED THE RESTR. I PLACED TOO MUCH FAITH IN THE AUTOMATION AND DIDN'T MONITOR IT. I THINK FATIGUE WAS ALSO A FACTOR. I FLY AN OLDER CL601 WITH THE 'STEAM' GAUGES AND NO FMS. WE SOMETIMES JOKE THAT IT IS EASIER TO FLY BECAUSE 'WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.' I'M SURE THAT THE ASRS GETS QUITE A FEW RPTS OF THIS TYPE. I FEEL THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF A PROB OF THIS TYPE IS TO TRY OUR BEST TO OVERCOME THE HUMAN TENDENCY TO TRUST SOMETHING THAT HAS SERVED US WELL MANY TIMES IN THE PAST -- BUT MAY NOT IN THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE.

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.