Altitude crossing restr undershot by descending MD80 over cedes intersection, ca.

Attributes
ACN	585921
Time
Date	200306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : cedes
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : modesto
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	585921
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	585915
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overrode automation other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We were step cleared from FL350 to FL310, then to FL240 approximately 10 mi east of mod on mod arrival. Although it seemed that we were being kept high for ATC purposes, we did not question the profile. Overhead mod (DME read 4.4), we were cleared to cross cedes at 11000 ft and 250 KTS. I started down, but not aggressively enough (cedes is only 32 mi west of mod VOR). The controller called us with approximately 22 mi to cedes and asked if we could still make the crossing. We thought we could, said yes, and made a maximum effort descent with full flight spoilers and increased the airspeed to 330 KTS. A min later, I asked PIC to confess an inability to make the crossing and to ask for relief. He did so with 10 mi to go and asked for relief and that we could accept a vector. The controller did not respond, but instead handed us to the approach controller (we were passing through 12600 ft) over cedes. The new controller acknowledged we were over cedes, but only asked us to intercept the 095 degree radial of sfo and track inbound. We were then cleared for the quiet bridge runway 28R visual approach which was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR UNDERSHOT BY DSNDING MD80 OVER CEDES INTXN, CA.

Narrative: WE WERE STEP CLRED FROM FL350 TO FL310, THEN TO FL240 APPROX 10 MI E OF MOD ON MOD ARR. ALTHOUGH IT SEEMED THAT WE WERE BEING KEPT HIGH FOR ATC PURPOSES, WE DID NOT QUESTION THE PROFILE. OVERHEAD MOD (DME READ 4.4), WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS CEDES AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS. I STARTED DOWN, BUT NOT AGGRESSIVELY ENOUGH (CEDES IS ONLY 32 MI W OF MOD VOR). THE CTLR CALLED US WITH APPROX 22 MI TO CEDES AND ASKED IF WE COULD STILL MAKE THE XING. WE THOUGHT WE COULD, SAID YES, AND MADE A MAX EFFORT DSCNT WITH FULL FLT SPOILERS AND INCREASED THE AIRSPD TO 330 KTS. A MIN LATER, I ASKED PIC TO CONFESS AN INABILITY TO MAKE THE XING AND TO ASK FOR RELIEF. HE DID SO WITH 10 MI TO GO AND ASKED FOR RELIEF AND THAT WE COULD ACCEPT A VECTOR. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND, BUT INSTEAD HANDED US TO THE APCH CTLR (WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 12600 FT) OVER CEDES. THE NEW CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED WE WERE OVER CEDES, BUT ONLY ASKED US TO INTERCEPT THE 095 DEG RADIAL OF SFO AND TRACK INBOUND. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE QUIET BRIDGE RWY 28R VISUAL APCH WHICH WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.