E135 FLT CREW'S COMPLACENCY CONTRIBUTES TO AN ALTDEV ON THE ELDEE RNAV STAR TO DCA.

2008-03 · NASA ASRS report 779337

Date: 2008-03 · Aircraft: EMB ERJ 135 ER/LR · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

E135 FLT CREW'S COMPLACENCY CONTRIBUTES TO AN ALTDEV ON THE ELDEE RNAV STAR TO DCA.

Narrative

WHILE ON THE ELDEE 3 ARR INTO DCA OPERATING AN EMB135; WE DSNDED EARLY WHEN CLRED TO DSND 'VIA THE ELDEE 3 RNAV ARR.' OUR POS WAS JUST BEFORE DOCCS INTXN ON THE ELDEE 3. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CROSS DOCCS AT AND MAINTAIN 15000 FT. WE ARRIVED AT 15000 FT A FEW MI BEFORE DOCCS. UPON REACHING AROUND DOCCS INTXN; ATC INSTRUCTED US TO DSND 'VIA THE ELDEE 3 ARR.' BTWN DOCCS INTXN; AND LDN VOR; WE STARTED TO DSND 'VIA THE ELDEE 3;' WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE US CROSS ELDEE AT 8000 FT. DUE TO THE CONFUSED INTERP OF THE ARR; WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE ONLY XING RESTR WE HAD TO BE CONCERNED WITH ARE PUGEE AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT; AND WZRRD AT OR ABOVE 10000 FT. BOTH OF US NEGLECTED TO SEE THAT LDN AND MORTY WERE BOTH CROSS AT 15000 FT. AS STATED PREVIOUSLY; WE STARTED TO DSND JUST BEFORE LDN. ATC CALLED OUT OUR MISTAKE WHEN WE WERE AROUND 13500 FT; AND INSTRUCTED US TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT; AND CANCEL ANY PREVIOUS ARR DSCNT CLRNCS. AFTER CONTINUING ON THE ARR FOR A LITTLE WHILE; ATC THEN INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS ELDEE AT 8000 FT. WE DID THAT AS INSTRUCTED AND THERE WERE NO FURTHER PROBS; AND LANDED WITHOUT EVENT IN DCA. AS A NOTE; THE CTLR EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN THAT THEY HAVE HAD MANY PROBS WITH THAT PARTICULAR ARR. THIS EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF BOTH OF THE PLTS' NEGLECT TO STUDY EACH FIX; AND ITS ASSOCIATED ALT XING RESTR. THIS PROB COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CREW STUDIED THE ARR A LITTLE MORE CAREFULLY; AND PAID ATTN TO EACH AND EVERY FIX; AND ALL ALT RESTRS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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