Narrative:

Flying the jfk VOR runway 13L approach into jfk; the first officer was the PF and I was the captain/PNF. Approach control instructed us to cross asalt at 2000 ft and cri VOR at 1000 ft and cleared us for the jfk VOR runway 13L approach. This differs from the normal altitude of 1500 ft at cri listed on the jfk VOR runway 13L approach plate. The first officer began to get behind on the descent from the 2000 ft at asalt to the 1000 ft assigned at cri. The first officer appeared to be relying on the A320 automation that was going to lead him to cross cri at our normal crossing altitude of 1500 ft. I instructed him to begin the descent and to increase the rate of descent or we would miss the 1000 ft crossing restr. I began to help the first officer by extending the landing gear and flaps in an attempt to get the aircraft to meet the restr; but I was too late. We crossed cri VOR at approximately 1900 ft when our clearance instructed us to cross at 1000 ft. The approach was uneventful except that we failed to meet the 1000 ft at cri assigned by approach control. In the future; I will take over the controls if it appears that the first officer appears unable to comply with an altitude restr on this approach. The first officer has only been at this company for 10 months and a lack of experience at jfk and in the A320 were both major factors in this event. Additionally; my reluctance to take control from a first officer that I believed could handle the A320 may have contributed to missing the altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW FAILED TO COMPLY WITH CROSSING RESTRICTION ON VOR APCH.

Narrative: FLYING THE JFK VOR RWY 13L APCH INTO JFK; THE FO WAS THE PF AND I WAS THE CAPT/PNF. APCH CTL INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS ASALT AT 2000 FT AND CRI VOR AT 1000 FT AND CLRED US FOR THE JFK VOR RWY 13L APCH. THIS DIFFERS FROM THE NORMAL ALT OF 1500 FT AT CRI LISTED ON THE JFK VOR RWY 13L APCH PLATE. THE FO BEGAN TO GET BEHIND ON THE DSCNT FROM THE 2000 FT AT ASALT TO THE 1000 FT ASSIGNED AT CRI. THE FO APPEARED TO BE RELYING ON THE A320 AUTOMATION THAT WAS GOING TO LEAD HIM TO CROSS CRI AT OUR NORMAL XING ALT OF 1500 FT. I INSTRUCTED HIM TO BEGIN THE DSCNT AND TO INCREASE THE RATE OF DSCNT OR WE WOULD MISS THE 1000 FT XING RESTR. I BEGAN TO HELP THE FO BY EXTENDING THE LNDG GEAR AND FLAPS IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE ACFT TO MEET THE RESTR; BUT I WAS TOO LATE. WE CROSSED CRI VOR AT APPROX 1900 FT WHEN OUR CLRNC INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS AT 1000 FT. THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT THAT WE FAILED TO MEET THE 1000 FT AT CRI ASSIGNED BY APCH CTL. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL TAKE OVER THE CTLS IF IT APPEARS THAT THE FO APPEARS UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH AN ALT RESTR ON THIS APCH. THE FO HAS ONLY BEEN AT THIS COMPANY FOR 10 MONTHS AND A LACK OF EXPERIENCE AT JFK AND IN THE A320 WERE BOTH MAJOR FACTORS IN THIS EVENT. ADDITIONALLY; MY RELUCTANCE TO TAKE CTL FROM A FO THAT I BELIEVED COULD HANDLE THE A320 MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO MISSING THE ALT.

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.