B747-400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure; Chart Or Publication
The FMC was programmed for the filed arrival. During descent a different arrival was assigned with an intermediate leveloff. Further descent was assigned and during that descent a crossing restriction for DUMET was assigned to cross at 6;000 meters. PF inadvertently entered 6;000 feet into the MCP as the PNF was checking the meter conversion card and entering the restrictions into the CDU for the crossing restriction assigned. We were well above path for the restriction due to its late assignment and time required for the FMC to recalculate the vertical path. This leaves you blind to vertical path for a critical period of time. Speed was increased; spoilers used and vertical speed was engaged to target the crossing restriction with the descent arc; when speed reached target FLC was used to protect from overspeed. Our attention was on getting the descent arc on the fix. ATC called again emphasizing to descend to cross DUMET at 6;000 meters however the MCP altitude was set to 6;000 feet and the aircraft passed through the assigned altitude. After passing 6;000 meters ATC called with instructions to maintain 6;000 meters. At this point I recognized the error altitude in the MCP Immediately announced that I had the airplane (because I was the first one to recognize the problem and correction was time critical) disconnected the autopilot and began a rapid climb to 6;000 meters for a manual level off. The autopilot was engaged and Positive Control was transferred back to the FO and the rest of the flight was without incident. There was no loss of separation and crew communication was excellent during the correction maneuver. Selection of an Arrival into ZSPD is very complex with some 18 pages of arrivals and a multitude of transitions for each runway. The transitions are labeled in such a way that several minutes of experimentation through trial and error are required to define the likely procedure and produce an accurate vertical profile. This requires an extraordinary length of time with one pilot heads down. Further complicating this situation is the transition from feet to meters and the added complexity of making a plastic card reference to convert meters to feet. In a dark cockpit this card is difficult to read due to font size and color selection on the card and more heads down time is given to this task.  Further complicating this arrival is the occasional difficult English from ATC all adding up to a significant number of necessary duty distractions. Further; some of these arrivals are missing the published crossing restrictions requiring a close and time consuming reconciliation of the procedure entered. It would be helpful if Dispatch could make a prevailing weather related decision when filing arrivals to prevent the inevitable changes required for prevailing weather dictating the runway likely in use. In this case we were filed for an arrival for the Northbound runways but winds were out of the south. This was discussed both in the preflight and en-route between the First Officer and [me]. We were expecting the change but it is nonetheless problematic as a descent it required almost immediately passing into the Shanghai FIR on this route; and others. It is frequently the case that the initial descent is initiated with a controller that cannot assign the arrival; driving the heads down changes to a position very late in the descent profile. Cockpit duty distractions contributed significantly to my failure to confirm the MCP altitude set by the PF. I am very familiar with these problems on arrival at ZSPD and some other airports as are most of our pilots. This was part of our discussion prior to descent. In this case the timing was just right to cause my crosscheck failure and altitude deviation.
This was a short flight; upon crossing the Shanghai FIR we could expect new Arrival routing. Prior to the FIR we completed Performance Data; briefings for approaches; runway expected and briefed the Meter conversions and language differences. As we crossed the FIR the Controller issued an intermediate descent. The pilot monitorning (PM) acknowledged; the pilot flying (PF) set the altitude in the MCP and both crew acknowledged the selection in the PFD. That Controller was unable to verify the arrival for ZSPD. We were handed off to a second Controller that issued a new arrival. PM acknowledged; PF confirmed and PM began reprogramming the FMC. As PF I was confirming the changes on my ND and flying. ATC issued a descent; PM acknowledged; and so did PF. ATC immediately cancelled the descent. We acknowledged. The PM returned to FMC. ATC issued a second descent clearance to cross DUMET at 6;000. PM acknowledged and consulted the Meters Interpolation chart stating 6;000 meters. PF set the MCP 6;000; and the PFD to 6;000. I did ask PM specifically to VERIFY the altitude set. A second after my request ATC requested a second time that we 'Expedite our descent.' PM had returned to reconciling the FMC changes; and never verified or cleared up our miscommunication. Using Speed intervene; and then flight spoilers; Vspd and FLCH modes we were controlling the descent to target. As we passed through 6;000 meters the Controller stated 'maintain 6;000.' PM stated that he had not checked the altitude; I disconnected the autopilot; leveled off and started a climb. Captain took the controls and continued the correction. We reported 6;000 meters and the ATC Controller never issued a single correction nor made any comment or response. We re-engaged the automation; I became PF again and the flight continued normally. We knew there were neither separation issues nor ATC directions made to other aircraft. There was no further comment; and the ILS approach and landing were uneventful. At all times the crew had operated together professionally until that miscommunication. The correction was done with co-ordination; urgency and safely. The PM had failed to correct and address the question of altitude; but task saturation was remarkably heavy on this short flight. This was a senior aircrew that was extremely familiar with PRC procedures and the unique Shanghai ATC environment. We knew that the OFPL arrivals we select for at departure will unlikely be the ones assigned. Task saturation happens; but seldom does it occur with such immediacy as Shanghai requires daily. The crew is occupied with selecting from a large number of Serpentine Arrivals; including many transitions and waypoints with crossing restrictions that are not published - but issued by ATC. Crews are assigned descents late; have to negotiate the Meters Interpolation chart in a dark cockpit and load and immediately confirm extensive routing. There are two items that can greatly improve control for crews. More timely issuance of OFPL Shanghai routing with greater accuracy of Runway and Arrival selection when compiling the flight plans. For the second item; I would like to suggest a slight modification to PF/PM Altitude Awareness procedures. Given the unique nature of Shanghai (location close to border; lack of specific direction providing extreme distraction at the last minute) Flight operations please consider adding a SECOND short confirmation of altitude interpolation procedure. Currently PM acknowledges ATC instruction. PF sets MCP and both PF and PM state the PFD input and MCP. It will be helpful to specify that PF/PM state 'PFD DISPLAYS xxxxMeters AND xxxxThousand' 'MCP set ...... thousand' That stating twice the meters and FL offers a second chance to correct miscommunications or missed corrections. This crew knew and prepared for this flight; but the extreme urgency is Shanghai's MO. The controllers were asking for expedited descents when we were situationally aware there were few aircraft in the area; and none in our vicinity. We were issued routing that was well beneath our flight path. Any extra operational safety nets that can be built into our procedures would be beneficial in the Shanghai area.
B747 flight crew reports an altitude deviation descending into ZSPD due to not converting meters to feet before entering the number into the MCP. Other difficulties operating in the Shanghai FIR and into the ZSPD airport are also discussed.