A B737-800 crew, descending into lga, undershot a STAR crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	538913
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : korry
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : korry 1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	538913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On arrival to lga, while descending via the korry 1 STAR with the first officer flying, I returned from talking to company and saw he was higher than 11000 ft crossing restr at fix prior to korry and was approximately 1.5 NM to korry at 12000 ft, so he was going to miss the 10000 ft restr at korry. I said 'you are high' and extended the speed brakes. We crossed korry at approximately 11200 ft. ZNY handed us off to approach control and said nothing about our altitude. Remainder of flight was uneventful. It was saturday night and there was no traffic around us. On the ground, I discussed what happened with my first officer. He said he got confused by the FMC descent with the several xings at or above requirements before the hard altitude restr at 11000 ft. He manually overrode the autoplt using vertical speed and went high above path without realizing it until it was too late. I emphasized the importance of communicating to me when he is confused and I am off doing administrative functions. In the future, I will not leave my monitoring duties prior to meeting crossing restrs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 CREW, DSNDING INTO LGA, UNDERSHOT A STAR XING RESTR.

Narrative: ON ARR TO LGA, WHILE DSNDING VIA THE KORRY 1 STAR WITH THE FO FLYING, I RETURNED FROM TALKING TO COMPANY AND SAW HE WAS HIGHER THAN 11000 FT XING RESTR AT FIX PRIOR TO KORRY AND WAS APPROX 1.5 NM TO KORRY AT 12000 FT, SO HE WAS GOING TO MISS THE 10000 FT RESTR AT KORRY. I SAID 'YOU ARE HIGH' AND EXTENDED THE SPD BRAKES. WE CROSSED KORRY AT APPROX 11200 FT. ZNY HANDED US OFF TO APCH CTL AND SAID NOTHING ABOUT OUR ALT. REMAINDER OF FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. IT WAS SATURDAY NIGHT AND THERE WAS NO TFC AROUND US. ON THE GND, I DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY FO. HE SAID HE GOT CONFUSED BY THE FMC DSCNT WITH THE SEVERAL XINGS AT OR ABOVE REQUIREMENTS BEFORE THE HARD ALT RESTR AT 11000 FT. HE MANUALLY OVERRODE THE AUTOPLT USING VERT SPD AND WENT HIGH ABOVE PATH WITHOUT REALIZING IT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. I EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING TO ME WHEN HE IS CONFUSED AND I AM OFF DOING ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT LEAVE MY MONITORING DUTIES PRIOR TO MEETING XING RESTRS.

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.