A B737NG failed to make a crossing restriction on the seavu STAR when the pilot flying selected leve...

Attributes
ACN	881890
Time
Date	201004
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	LAX.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	FMS/FMC
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 220
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 217 Flight Crew Type 8500
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

While descending via seavu arrival into lax prior to pecox intersection; ATC assigned speed of 290 KTS. Pilot flying hit level change button and set speed 290 KTS. At reaching pecox; pilot flying noted aircraft didn't level off for crossing restriction and continued to descend. He verbally stated this; disconnected automation; and climbed back to the assigned altitude. While the pilot flying noted and corrected the problem; a 400 ft low deviation occurred. The total time of deviation was approximately 20 seconds. Upon returning to altitude; we realized that the error occurred because the aircraft was not in VNAV descent mode but the level change mode. The pilot flying should have hit speed intervention instead of level change. The pilot monitoring should have ensured proper monitoring of ATC directed changes and the impacts of MCP selection; i.e. Ensuring proper MCP mode is selected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737NG failed to make a crossing restriction on the SEAVU STAR when the pilot flying selected Level Change instead of Speed Intervention when given a speed restriction by ATC.

Narrative: While descending via SEAVU Arrival into LAX prior to PECOX intersection; ATC assigned speed of 290 KTS. Pilot flying hit Level Change button and set speed 290 KTS. At reaching PECOX; pilot flying noted aircraft didn't level off for crossing restriction and continued to descend. He verbally stated this; disconnected automation; and climbed back to the assigned altitude. While the pilot flying noted and corrected the problem; a 400 FT low deviation occurred. The total time of deviation was approximately 20 seconds. Upon returning to altitude; we realized that the error occurred because the aircraft was not in VNAV Descent mode but the Level Change mode. The pilot flying should have hit speed intervention instead of level change. The pilot monitoring should have ensured proper monitoring of ATC directed changes and the impacts of MCP selection; i.e. ensuring proper MCP mode is selected.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A B737NG failed to make a crossing restriction on the seavu STAR when the pilot flying selected level change instead of speed intervention when given a speed restriction by ATC.