The crossing restr at suzzi on the arrival to lax runway 25L is crossed 500 ft low due to distractio...

Attributes
ACN	525330
Time
Date	200109
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : suzzi
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : efd.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 420
ASRS Report	525330
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During approach to runway 25L at lax, copilot was flying, I was monitoring. This approach is very complicated with many step-down fixes while tracking localizer and using LNAV or VNAV. After passing arnes intersection and heading towards suzzi intersection, copilot was high on profile. We were using VNAV and localizer track at this time. Aircraft speed was acceptable at this time of 230 KTS and slowing. Because we were a little high on path copilot selected approach mode which captured GS. This caused aircraft to pitch over and accelerate to 250 KTS. I pointed out the increase in speed. Copilot took immediate action and disconnected approach mode and slowed aircraft using speed brakes and flaps. At this time copilot asked what altitude were we supposed to cross suzzi at. I checked and it was 9000 ft, we crossed suzzi at approximately 8500 ft. This was due to engaging GS after arnes. GS will take you below step-down fixes on approach to runway 25L. Due to complexity of approach VNAV should be used down to 3200 ft to capture GS or manually fly aircraft to each fix and altitude. Speed control is very important on this approach. I was very busy doing checklist and talking to ATC while this occurred. I didn't realize in time the significance of following GS on this approach prior to 3200 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE XING RESTR AT SUZZI ON THE ARR TO LAX RWY 25L IS CROSSED 500 FT LOW DUE TO DISTR AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE OP OF NAV AND LNAV PROCS ON THIS ARR.

Narrative: DURING APCH TO RWY 25L AT LAX, COPLT WAS FLYING, I WAS MONITORING. THIS APCH IS VERY COMPLICATED WITH MANY STEP-DOWN FIXES WHILE TRACKING LOC AND USING LNAV OR VNAV. AFTER PASSING ARNES INTXN AND HEADING TOWARDS SUZZI INTXN, COPLT WAS HIGH ON PROFILE. WE WERE USING VNAV AND LOC TRACK AT THIS TIME. ACFT SPD WAS ACCEPTABLE AT THIS TIME OF 230 KTS AND SLOWING. BECAUSE WE WERE A LITTLE HIGH ON PATH COPLT SELECTED APCH MODE WHICH CAPTURED GS. THIS CAUSED ACFT TO PITCH OVER AND ACCELERATE TO 250 KTS. I POINTED OUT THE INCREASE IN SPD. COPLT TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION AND DISCONNECTED APCH MODE AND SLOWED ACFT USING SPD BRAKES AND FLAPS. AT THIS TIME COPLT ASKED WHAT ALT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO CROSS SUZZI AT. I CHKED AND IT WAS 9000 FT, WE CROSSED SUZZI AT APPROX 8500 FT. THIS WAS DUE TO ENGAGING GS AFTER ARNES. GS WILL TAKE YOU BELOW STEP-DOWN FIXES ON APCH TO RWY 25L. DUE TO COMPLEXITY OF APCH VNAV SHOULD BE USED DOWN TO 3200 FT TO CAPTURE GS OR MANUALLY FLY ACFT TO EACH FIX AND ALT. SPD CTL IS VERY IMPORTANT ON THIS APCH. I WAS VERY BUSY DOING CHKLIST AND TALKING TO ATC WHILE THIS OCCURRED. I DIDN'T REALIZE IN TIME THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FOLLOWING GS ON THIS APCH PRIOR TO 3200 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.

The crossing restr at suzzi on the arrival to lax runway 25L is crossed 500 ft low due to distraction and lack of familiarity with the operation of navigation and LNAV procedures on this arrival.