B717 flight crew descended through an altitude restriction while programming the FMS.

Attributes
ACN	782769
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : eldee
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	782769
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight plan loaded at gate along with destination runway (ILS 1) and new altitude constraints per fdc NOTAMS and company messages. While en route; received direct esl on eldee 3 arrival. Later issued cross 35 mi west esl at FL290. Entered into FMS. ATIS advised lda -- DME 19. Changed runway in FMS; but in doing so; cleared some crossing restrs on eldee 3; and reverted some restrs to old restrs. Also; waypoints that make up 19 arrival (hoook; captl; etc) were not loaded. Also slowed in anticipation of holding for heavy rain and thunderstorm on field. Cleared to descend via eldee 3; first officer inserted and verified. FMS was behind calculating crossing at druzz (15000 ft); and simultaneously first officer announced he was 'refreshing' the crossing restr at druzz. Captain scrolled vertical speed to make druzz at 15000 ft; and commanded 8000 ft in the altitude window; the lowest altitude on the arrival. Crew became distraction by new fixes and resetting altitude restrs; and aircraft descended below 15000 ft after druzz. First officer noticed and called out. Captain disconnected autoplt and began climb. First officer called ATC to advise. ATC stated; 'maintain 13000 ft; descend via eldee 3; you're fine.' flight completed without incident. No traffic conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B717 FLT CREW DESCENDED THROUGH AN ALT RESTRICTION WHILE PROGRAMMING THE FMS.

Narrative: FLT PLAN LOADED AT GATE ALONG WITH DEST RWY (ILS 1) AND NEW ALT CONSTRAINTS PER FDC NOTAMS AND COMPANY MESSAGES. WHILE ENRTE; RECEIVED DIRECT ESL ON ELDEE 3 ARR. LATER ISSUED CROSS 35 MI W ESL AT FL290. ENTERED INTO FMS. ATIS ADVISED LDA -- DME 19. CHANGED RWY IN FMS; BUT IN DOING SO; CLRED SOME XING RESTRS ON ELDEE 3; AND REVERTED SOME RESTRS TO OLD RESTRS. ALSO; WAYPOINTS THAT MAKE UP 19 ARR (HOOOK; CAPTL; ETC) WERE NOT LOADED. ALSO SLOWED IN ANTICIPATION OF HOLDING FOR HVY RAIN AND TSTM ON FIELD. CLRED TO DSND VIA ELDEE 3; FO INSERTED AND VERIFIED. FMS WAS BEHIND CALCULATING XING AT DRUZZ (15000 FT); AND SIMULTANEOUSLY FO ANNOUNCED HE WAS 'REFRESHING' THE XING RESTR AT DRUZZ. CAPT SCROLLED VERT SPD TO MAKE DRUZZ AT 15000 FT; AND COMMANDED 8000 FT IN THE ALT WINDOW; THE LOWEST ALT ON THE ARR. CREW BECAME DISTR BY NEW FIXES AND RESETTING ALT RESTRS; AND ACFT DSNDED BELOW 15000 FT AFTER DRUZZ. FO NOTICED AND CALLED OUT. CAPT DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND BEGAN CLB. FO CALLED ATC TO ADVISE. ATC STATED; 'MAINTAIN 13000 FT; DSND VIA ELDEE 3; YOU'RE FINE.' FLT COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO TFC CONFLICTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.