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Airbus A320 flight crew undershot crossing altitude restr during arrival descent due FMC automatic navigation system leveling aircraft too early.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 501171 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200102 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : gdm.vortac |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 15000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 501460 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 501460 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were given a clearance to cross gdm at 11000 ft and we were at FL350. After entering the clearance in the FMGC and altitude alerter, we started down. After checking that we were on the appropriate glide path, the descent and approach checks were completed after FL180. For some anomaly, the FMGC suddenly leveled the airplane during our checklist, and by the time we noticed we weren't going to make the restr, we notified the ATC controller. They said 'ok, descend to 11000 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AIRBUS A320 FLC UNDERSHOT XING ALT RESTR DURING ARR DSCNT DUE FMC AUTO NAV SYS LEVELING ACFT TOO EARLY.
Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO CROSS GDM AT 11000 FT AND WE WERE AT FL350. AFTER ENTERING THE CLRNC IN THE FMGC AND ALT ALERTER, WE STARTED DOWN. AFTER CHKING THAT WE WERE ON THE APPROPRIATE GLIDE PATH, THE DSCNT AND APCH CHKS WERE COMPLETED AFTER FL180. FOR SOME ANOMALY, THE FMGC SUDDENLY LEVELED THE AIRPLANE DURING OUR CHKLIST, AND BY THE TIME WE NOTICED WE WEREN'T GOING TO MAKE THE RESTR, WE NOTIFIED THE ATC CTLR. THEY SAID 'OK, DSND TO 11000 FT.
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.