MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Total 13000
Troubleshooting; Time Pressure; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft; Procedure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
This report documents a possible altitude deviation while flying the TRUPS1 arrival into DCA. While enroute to DCA; we monitored the hourly ATIS reports for DCA and noted that aircraft were landing on Runway 01 at DCA. We had this Runway loaded into the FMS and had checked the waypoints and airspeed/altitude restrictions for the TRUPS1 arrival prior to beginning descent from cruise altitude. The TRUPS1 arrival is a new procedure and has eleven (11) crossing restrictions. Consequently; flying the procedure requires a lot of 'heads down' activity and cross cockpit communication to ensure that all of the restrictions are met.While descending on the arrival; ATC told us that aircraft were now landing on Runway 19 at DCA (i.e. They had turned the airport around). The Captain (pilot flying) immediately began typing the new information into the FMS so that the arrival routing would change to TRUPS-FRDMM-STAND-TGTHR-FERGI. I backed up the Captain by providing comments about crossing restrictions and airspeed restrictions. I believe I also suggested the use of speed brakes at least once. I also called for an altimeter setting change approaching FL180. This sharp increase in cockpit workload caused us to cross WEEDU about 300 FT high (18;300 FT).I have three suggestions for preventing a recurrence of this event. First; redesign the TRUPS1. This is an inordinately complicated procedure. It appears that someone with operational expertise (i.e. pilot) did not vet this procedure before approving it. Second; the Captain could have had me reprogram the FMS so that he could have devoted his full time and attention to monitoring the aircraft. Third; because we were already well into the arrival when they turned the airport around; the Controller could have offered us a simple crossing restriction such as 'Cross TRUPS at 11;000' so that we could have dedicated more attention to reprogramming the FMS.
Captured descent path; but failed to maintain speed restrictions.
When the runway of intended landing was changed as they were flying the TRUPS RNAV STAR to DCA and their MD-80 failed to comply with the restrictions of the arrival and they crossed WEEDU waypoint 300 FT high. The complexity of the STAR was cited as a major contributing factor as they requested vectors to relieve them of the balance of the procedure restrictions.