B757-200
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Aircraft
Clearance to cross RLG at 14;000; inadvertently put 13;000 FT in CDU; immediately recognized error; corrected input to 14;000. Crossed RLG at 14;000 'on approach'; VTI centered; 210 KTS. Two miles prior to VOAXA; Approach informed us; altitude at VOAXA should be 13;800 (we were level 13;200); I verified altimeter; terrain display and VTI. No glaring discrepancies stood out. Remainder of approach was uneventful. At gate reloaded approach into CDU and THEN noticed that when I placed 13;000 for RLG; altitude restriction of 13;800 FT at VOAXA dropped out. I performed a thorough review of procedures for EGE prior to signing in for trip; conducted a thorough briefing prior to descent.  Once on approach was focused on terrain display; flight instruments; tracking and VTI. This is an extremely insidious problem as nothing appeared amiss on any instruments; raw data or Progress Page 2. Suggest in addition to the recommended max speed of 220 KTS over RLG that a HARD altitude of 14;000 FT be added to the approach if this crossing altitude is the norm. Contributing factors: Several months since last flight into EGE and fatigue. It is this individuals' opinion that FAR 117 has SEVERELY degraded safety as it relates to crew rest; particularly in light of monthly schedule projections approaching FAR maximums. Recently switching to Daylight Savings and losing an hour may have been another fatigue factor.
All waypoints; altitude and airspeed restrictions were reviewed and verified well prior to Denver Center's clearance to cross RLG at or above 14;000 FT and clearance for the LOC FMS Runway 25 EGE. An airspeed constraint of 210 KIAS and an inadvertent altitude of 13;000 FT was entered into the CDU for RLG. The altitude restriction was quickly changed to 14;000 FT. Crossing RLG at 14;000 FT and 210 KIAS the altitude selector was set to 7;500 FT; VNAV engaged. Both Captian and I verified we were on VNAV PTH (ADI); I also was monitoring raw data and Progress Page 2. All appeared normal until just prior to VOAXA when Denver Center asked us our altitude and if we had terrain clearance and switched was over to Eagle Tower. We crossed VOAXA at 13;200 FT with zero deviation on VNAV PATH; clear of terrain (all green). The remainder of approach and landing was uneventful. Upon landing we determined that when the inadvertent altitude entry of 13;000 at RLG was made it also eliminated the 13;800 FT altitude restriction between RLG and VOAXA. Software upgrade with prompt stating unable next altitude or selected altitude below restricted altitude or simply check altitude.
B757 flight crew reports descending below the MEA between RLG and VOAXA on the LDA 25 approach to EGE. A crossing restriction of 13;800 at VOAXA was in the FMC but 13;000 was inadvertently set in the MCP for RLG and quickly corrected but this eliminated the VOAXA restriction; which was not detected.