First officer of B737-700 failed to make crossing altitude on descent and follow a direct course to ...

Attributes
ACN	492540
Time
Date	200011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ric.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	492540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert none taken : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying from sat to bwi at FL330, we were given clearance to cross 80 mi west of ric at FL290. While I was getting the ATIS, the copilot (who is new -- second trip) had difficulty programming FMC, and by the time I got back in the loop we ended crossing the fix 5 mi late of making altitude restr. Once on the arrival, we were given a heading and later we were told to go sabbi intersection. The copilot who was rather upset with himself forgot to engage the navigation function and I did not notice it until center asked us if we were going to sabbi and gave us a vector to go direct to sabbi. In the altitude deviation case the crossing restr was rather tight and did not allow for enough time to set it up and the fact that first officer was simply new. In the course deviation case we had not flown a B737-700 glass for a while. We were not as comfortable with annunciator panel as we should have been.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF B737-700 FAILED TO MAKE XING ALT ON DSCNT AND FOLLOW A DIRECT COURSE TO THE NEXT FIX.

Narrative: FLYING FROM SAT TO BWI AT FL330, WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO CROSS 80 MI W OF RIC AT FL290. WHILE I WAS GETTING THE ATIS, THE COPLT (WHO IS NEW -- SECOND TRIP) HAD DIFFICULTY PROGRAMMING FMC, AND BY THE TIME I GOT BACK IN THE LOOP WE ENDED XING THE FIX 5 MI LATE OF MAKING ALT RESTR. ONCE ON THE ARR, WE WERE GIVEN A HDG AND LATER WE WERE TOLD TO GO SABBI INTXN. THE COPLT WHO WAS RATHER UPSET WITH HIMSELF FORGOT TO ENGAGE THE NAV FUNCTION AND I DID NOT NOTICE IT UNTIL CTR ASKED US IF WE WERE GOING TO SABBI AND GAVE US A VECTOR TO GO DIRECT TO SABBI. IN THE ALTDEV CASE THE XING RESTR WAS RATHER TIGHT AND DID NOT ALLOW FOR ENOUGH TIME TO SET IT UP AND THE FACT THAT FO WAS SIMPLY NEW. IN THE COURSE DEV CASE WE HAD NOT FLOWN A B737-700 GLASS FOR A WHILE. WE WERE NOT AS COMFORTABLE WITH ANNUNCIATOR PANEL AS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

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.

First officer of B737-700 failed to make crossing altitude on descent and follow a direct course to the next fix.