Altitude crossing restr not made when the first officer of an A320 mis-programs the FMS, deleting al...

Attributes
ACN	541703
Time
Date	200203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : dawna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : kayoh.kayohh
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	541703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	541705
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : overrode automation none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Altitude deviation: level at (I think) FL240. ZLA cleared us to descend to 13000 ft by dawna on kayoh 4 to sna. Instead, we crossed at approximately FL190. Why: I had programmed FMS with expected 13000 ft dawna constraint. Then noticed an unwanted 'via' the FMS had inserted between the arrival and the sna runway 19R ILS. I deleted the 'via' but did not know that would delete constraints I manually input to the arrival. When given the 13000 ft dawna constraint by ZLA, I selected descent mode and I started 1000 FPM descent. Approximately 10 mi from dawna, ZLA asked about our descent. I immediately selected open descent, turned off autoplt, and used speed brakes. We crossed dawna at approximately FL190 and quickly reached 13000 ft. There were no apparent traffic conflicts. Contributing factors: I was never told that deleting FMA 'via' would delete manually input altitude constraints -- similar to what FMS runway changes do and which I was well trained for. I did not tell the captain I deleted the 'via.' he would have known to rechk the constraints. Recommendations: instructor and IOE teach that deleting 'via' will delete manually input FMS constraint. My plan: always rechk FMS constraints starting descent and monitor leveloff estimate symbol. I will also only use open descent mode versus descent mode till I have more experience. Supplemental information from acn 541705: the autoplt reduced the descent rate, we were updating other approach information into the mcdu.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MADE WHEN THE FO OF AN A320 MIS-PROGRAMS THE FMS, DELETING ALT CONSTRAINTS PRIOR TO XING DAWNA INTXN, CA.

Narrative: ALTDEV: LEVEL AT (I THINK) FL240. ZLA CLRED US TO DSND TO 13000 FT BY DAWNA ON KAYOH 4 TO SNA. INSTEAD, WE CROSSED AT APPROX FL190. WHY: I HAD PROGRAMMED FMS WITH EXPECTED 13000 FT DAWNA CONSTRAINT. THEN NOTICED AN UNWANTED 'VIA' THE FMS HAD INSERTED BTWN THE ARR AND THE SNA RWY 19R ILS. I DELETED THE 'VIA' BUT DID NOT KNOW THAT WOULD DELETE CONSTRAINTS I MANUALLY INPUT TO THE ARR. WHEN GIVEN THE 13000 FT DAWNA CONSTRAINT BY ZLA, I SELECTED DSCNT MODE AND I STARTED 1000 FPM DSCNT. APPROX 10 MI FROM DAWNA, ZLA ASKED ABOUT OUR DSCNT. I IMMEDIATELY SELECTED OPEN DSCNT, TURNED OFF AUTOPLT, AND USED SPD BRAKES. WE CROSSED DAWNA AT APPROX FL190 AND QUICKLY REACHED 13000 FT. THERE WERE NO APPARENT TFC CONFLICTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT DELETING FMA 'VIA' WOULD DELETE MANUALLY INPUT ALT CONSTRAINTS -- SIMILAR TO WHAT FMS RWY CHANGES DO AND WHICH I WAS WELL TRAINED FOR. I DID NOT TELL THE CAPT I DELETED THE 'VIA.' HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO RECHK THE CONSTRAINTS. RECOMMENDATIONS: INSTRUCTOR AND IOE TEACH THAT DELETING 'VIA' WILL DELETE MANUALLY INPUT FMS CONSTRAINT. MY PLAN: ALWAYS RECHK FMS CONSTRAINTS STARTING DSCNT AND MONITOR LEVELOFF ESTIMATE SYMBOL. I WILL ALSO ONLY USE OPEN DSCNT MODE VERSUS DSCNT MODE TILL I HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 541705: THE AUTOPLT REDUCED THE DSCNT RATE, WE WERE UPDATING OTHER APCH INFO INTO THE MCDU.

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.

Altitude crossing restr not made when the first officer of an A320 mis-programs the FMS, deleting altitude constraints prior to crossing dawna intersection, ca.