A321
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation
Procedure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Aircraft
After verifying the fixes and associated altitudes on the IVANE5 arrival in to CLT; we were cleared to 'Descend Via the IVANE5 landing south.' As the pilot flying I set the altitude in the FCU to 6000 feet and confirmed the altitude as the bottom of the IVANE5 with my First Officer. We initiated a managed descent just prior to TOD. During our descent; in order to maintain profile I extended 1/2 speed brakes when 'More Drag' was displayed. The MCDU displayed 'Too Steep Path' between the following three fixes on the arrival (which to me made no sense). My awareness was up with the anticipation of intervening later in the arrival yet every indication was that the FMS would comply with magenta starts next to each fix. We were to cross MAYOS between 240 and 260. The aircraft appeared to be on a proper profile with the only magenta altitude constraint being displayed as 6000 (the bottom of the arrival) indicating to me that the aircraft would comply without issue with all prior constraints. Nearing the MAYOS fix I allowed myself to get distracted coordinating passenger service issues [while the] aircraft descended below the floor of FL240 at MAYOS and we crossed the fix about 1300 feet low. My First Officer appropriately questioned the altitude and I immediately stopped the descent leveling at FL224; thus the aircraft did not appear as if it was going to respect the following constraint of KIYEN at or above FL220. I manually complied with KIYEN at or above FL220 and during that period noticed that the aircraft programmed path indicated we were over 1500 feet high as we approached the constraint at KIYEN at the proscribed altitude. I manually crossed all of the following constraints to insure compliance prior to being cleared direct to ATELL with a descent to 6000 to join the LOC23. The remainder of the flight was uneventful ending with a normal landing in CLT.  There was no mention whatsoever of the deviation by ATC.Aside from the obvious reason of allowing myself to get distracted nearing a crossing restriction; I do not know or understand why the system behaved the way it did and completely disregarded programmed crossing restrictions and windows; all the while indicating compliance. Even as we approached the MAYOS intersection below the proper altitude the aircraft indicated compliance with magent on the PFD; constraints properly depicted on the ND; and magenta asterisks in the MCDU. As I intervened by leveling off and manually complying with the following altitude constraint at KIYEN the path indicated high leading me to believe that without intervention and with the MCDU properly programmed the aircraft would have continued to descend disregarding this constraint also.Please check the navigation data programming for this arrival specifically on this tail number. I will work on avoiding distraction in the future.
We were flying an A321 on the IVANE5 arrival into CLT. I was the First Officer; the Captain was the pilot flying. We had both accomplished independent verifications of the airspeeds and altitudes associated with the IVANE5 landing South. We were cleared to 'descend via the IVANE5'.  We selected 6000 in the altitude window; the Captain selected Managed Descent at some point prior to the TOD and we had started downhill - everything looked fine. All speeds and altitudes were displayed in magenta. The 'More Drag' and 'too steep path' messages had displayed for waypoints later in the arrival so the Captain had applied Speed Brake. I believe the Captain was 'saying goodbye' to the passengers; and I was momentarily reviewing the Ramp frequencies at Charlotte in my iPad when I looked up as we approached MAYOS (FL240-FL260; 280 kts) and saw that we were passing through 22;900'. All indicators were still magenta; and the magenta 'donut' was centered. My first reaction was to state; 'What's up with our altitude?' The Captain immediately leveled the aircraft off using the V/S knob and retracted the speed brake. We were still 3 or 4 miles short of MAYOS. Everything was magenta. Air Traffic Control did not say a thing.We were distracted and failed to properly monitor. We should have accomplished the actions that distracted us earlier in the flight so that we could be free to monitor and intervene during the arrival.My take away is that I should avoid distraction; especially during these programmed descents and do a better job 'monitoring' our flight parameters. My first reaction should be to 'fix' the aircraft flight parameters (like the Captain did) instead of my first reaction being to question what the aircraft was doing. I should have 'intervened'. Fly the plane.
An A321 flight crew inbound to CLT on the IVANE RNAV STAR in managed descent mode received multiple improper FMGC commands regarding the need for drag and improper warnings with respect to prognosticated compliance with future crossing restrictions. The flight crew overrode the automation and complied manually with the restrictions.