Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human-Machine Interface; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Procedure; Human Factors
We were descending into PHX on the EAGUL 5 RNAV STAR. The arrival had published restrictions of 210 KTS/9;000 FT at QUENY and 120 KTS/7;000 FT at HINEY. Approximately 5NM from QUENY intersection we were told to delete the 210K speed restriction at QUENY. As the aircraft was [already] in altitude capture at 9;000 FT; I deleted the both the speed and altitude restrictions from the Flight Plan page of the FMS. As a result the aircraft [instead of leveling at 9;000 FT] continued a managed descent to the next altitude restriction; 7;000 FT at HINEY. I noticed the error immediately and attempted to arrest the descent by setting 9;000 FT in the altitude window and manually selecting a positive vertical speed. We corrected the descent about 250-300 FT below 9;000 FT but were immediately reminded by PHX Approach to maintain 9;000 FT. By that time we were already back to 9;000 FT. We were given a last minute clearance to deviate from a published RNAV Arrival procedure. That led to us being rushed causing a breakdown in procedure and causing a slight altitude deviation.ATC should not change so many restrictions on published arrivals. I should have simply disconnected the auto-pilot and corrected the deviation by hand.
ATC's late airspeed change to a crossing restriction as the flight approached QUENY on the EAGUL RNAV STAR to PHX; compounded by an FMC programming error; resulted in the deletion of both the speed and altitude restrictions and allowed the A321 to descend 250-300 FT below the required 9;000 MSL.