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B737-300 flight crew fails to make ATC assigned crossing restr when autoflt system fails to initiate descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 643722 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200501 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : oxi.vor |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl single value : 28000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 643722 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Approximately 80 mi south of oxi; we were cruising at FL280 when ATC assigned FL240. We then asked for pilot's discretion to FL240 and ATC replied to cross 45 mi south of oxi at FL240. The captain entered a crossing of FL240 at oxi -45. It was verified by myself and executed. I then visually verified that the VNAV was still engaged. Approximately 5 mi south of this fix; the captain noticed that the aircraft did not start the descent. She clicked off the autoplt and started a descent. As she did this; ATC called us asking what distance we were from oxi. I replied that we had just noticed the same thing and were in a rapid descent to FL240. We arrived at FL240 approximately 10 mi north of the oxi -45 point. Nothing further was said by ATC.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-300 FLT CREW FAILS TO MAKE ATC ASSIGNED XING RESTR WHEN AUTOFLT SYS FAILS TO INITIATE DSCNT.
Narrative: APPROX 80 MI S OF OXI; WE WERE CRUISING AT FL280 WHEN ATC ASSIGNED FL240. WE THEN ASKED FOR PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240 AND ATC REPLIED TO CROSS 45 MI S OF OXI AT FL240. THE CAPT ENTERED A XING OF FL240 AT OXI -45. IT WAS VERIFIED BY MYSELF AND EXECUTED. I THEN VISUALLY VERIFIED THAT THE VNAV WAS STILL ENGAGED. APPROX 5 MI S OF THIS FIX; THE CAPT NOTICED THAT THE ACFT DID NOT START THE DSCNT. SHE CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED A DSCNT. AS SHE DID THIS; ATC CALLED US ASKING WHAT DISTANCE WE WERE FROM OXI. I REPLIED THAT WE HAD JUST NOTICED THE SAME THING AND WERE IN A RAPID DSCNT TO FL240. WE ARRIVED AT FL240 APPROX 10 MI N OF THE OXI -45 POINT. NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID BY ATC.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.