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B737-300 flight crew missed a crossing restriction while descending in level change mode and failing to adequately monitor flight progress.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 953784 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201106 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.TRACON |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Autoflight System |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | First Officer Pilot Not Flying |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 165 Flight Crew Type 5500 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance |
Narrative:
On arrival; we were issued and acknowledged crossing at the intersection 250/11;000 and then continue the descent to 6;000 ft. The captain was the pilot flying and selected 6;000 on the MCP and descended in level change. Approaching the fix we got a runway change to the left runway (we were expecting the right and eventually the runway was changed back to the right for landing). Both pilots were heads-down approaching the fix programming and verifying the left runway. As the pilot not flying; I did not realize the captain was descending in level change (we had been in VNAV initially; but switched to level change at some point in the descent to the intersection). About four miles out from the intersection; I noted that we were descending on schedule to cross the intersection at 250/11;000. Just after we crossed the intersection; ATC called and asked if we had instructions to cross the intersection at 11;000 ft. I noted our altitude at about 10;200 ft and we were about a mile inside the intersection on the arrival. After landing at the airport; ground provided a number for the captain to call ATC for a possible pilot deviation. Descending in VNAV would have prevented this possible deviation. As the pilot not flying; I should have been aware of the pitch mode used in the descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-300 flight crew missed a crossing restriction while descending in level change mode and failing to adequately monitor flight progress.
Narrative: On arrival; we were issued and acknowledged crossing at the intersection 250/11;000 and then continue the descent to 6;000 FT. The Captain was the pilot flying and selected 6;000 on the MCP and descended in level change. Approaching the fix we got a runway change to the left runway (we were expecting the right and eventually the runway was changed back to the right for landing). Both pilots were heads-down approaching the fix programming and verifying the left runway. As the pilot not flying; I did not realize the Captain was descending in level change (we had been in VNAV initially; but switched to level change at some point in the descent to the intersection). About four miles out from the intersection; I noted that we were descending on schedule to cross the intersection at 250/11;000. Just after we crossed the intersection; ATC called and asked if we had instructions to cross the intersection at 11;000 FT. I noted our altitude at about 10;200 FT and we were about a mile inside the intersection on the arrival. After landing at the airport; Ground provided a number for the Captain to call ATC for a possible pilot deviation. Descending in VNAV would have prevented this possible deviation. As the pilot not flying; I should have been aware of the pitch mode used in the descent.
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.