Crew on a maximum effort descent overshot assigned crossing altitude.

Attributes
ACN	491690
Time
Date	200011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : duxby
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : ttn.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	arrival star : eni.goldn4
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	491690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	491946
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descending on the golden gate 4 arrival into san jose we were told to cross duxby at 12000 ft. Prior to the descent, center kept us high causing us to use the speed brake and higher than normal airspeed to make the crossing restr. 200 ft above the assigned altitude, the captain said 'altitude.' the autoplt failed to capture 12000 ft. I disconnected the autoplt and leveled off at 12000 ft, but the aircraft descended 500 ft low on the recovery. I will be more diligent and rely less on automatic equipment. There were no aircraft in the area and the controller never asked us about our altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW ON A MAX EFFORT DSCNT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED XING ALT.

Narrative: DSNDING ON THE GOLDEN GATE 4 ARR INTO SAN JOSE WE WERE TOLD TO CROSS DUXBY AT 12000 FT. PRIOR TO THE DSCNT, CTR KEPT US HIGH CAUSING US TO USE THE SPD BRAKE AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL AIRSPD TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. 200 FT ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT, THE CAPT SAID 'ALT.' THE AUTOPLT FAILED TO CAPTURE 12000 FT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND LEVELED OFF AT 12000 FT, BUT THE ACFT DSNDED 500 FT LOW ON THE RECOVERY. I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT AND RELY LESS ON AUTOMATIC EQUIP. THERE WERE NO ACFT IN THE AREA AND THE CTLR NEVER ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT.

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.