Date: 201503
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: CLT.Airport, NC
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Ferry / Re-Positioning
Flight phase: Final Approach; Descent
Airspace: Class B CLT
ATC / advisory: TRACON CLT
Aircraft component: MCP
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I was descending through approximately 16;000 feet on an RNAV arrival. ATC instructed me to 'descend via the arrival.' The published bottom altitude was 6;000 feet; and as such; I set the MCP altitude to 6;000 feet while descending in the VNAV mode with all speed and crossing altitude restrictions verified in the FMC prior to descent.  At approximately 16;000 feet the ATC controller said we could delete the speed restrictions on the remainder of the arrival.  When I looked at the LEGS page of the FMC I observed there were five more altitude crossing restrictions remaining on the arrival; the first restriction to cross between 13;000-10;000 feet; the second at 10;000 feet; the third at 9;000 feet; the fourth at/or below 8;000 feet; and the fifth (bottom altitude) at 6;000 feet.  The first crossing restriction between 13;000-10;000 feet also had a published speed of 250 KTS. Because the ATC controller said we could delete the speed restrictions; I referenced the FMC legs page to delete the speed restrictions. However; I realized that the FMC would not allow me to delete only the speed restrictions without also deleting the altitude restrictions. The first; most expeditious; and practical way of flying the rest of the arrival without the speed restrictions; I thought; was to use the 'Vertical Speed' mode of the AFDS. This way I could have the speed window open/available to control the speed and control the vertical descent with 'Vertical Speed.'  This worked well for the first crossing restriction; between 13;000-10;000 feet. The problem occurred with the second crossing restriction at 10;000 feet. Because the MCP altitude window was set at 6;000 feet; and the aircraft was descending in 'Vertical Speed' mode; not in VNAV mode; the aircraft descended to approximately 9;650 feet 3-5 NM prior to the crossing restriction.  As soon as I realized this; I immediately selected 'Altitude Hold' on the MCP.  Once the aircraft leveled off; I reset the MCP altitude window to 10;000 feet and using the 'Vertical Speed' recaptured the altitude of 10;000 feet. After this point we were back on the profile and I selected VNAV for the remainder of the descent. The ATC controller never called us to advise us of any deviation. Shortly after passing the next crossing altitude of 9;000 feet; he advised us to delete the following crossing altitude restriction of 8;000 feet and continue descending on the arrival (bottom altitude 6;000 feet). With RNAV SIDs and STARs being more prevalent; these types of scenarios and a review of these procedures should be focused on more during recurrent training.  Discussing the problems that can be encountered when flying these procedures; particularly when ATC makes amendments to the published arrivals (speeds/altitudes); would be helpful.  Also; a good idea would be to offer pilots some useful techniques to use when amendments to the published procedures are issued by ATC.




Synopsis: B737 Captain on the IVANE5 Arrival to CLT descending through 16;000 feet is cleared to descend via the IVANE5 and delete the speed restrictions. This cannot be easily accomplished in the FMC; so manual control of the MCP is initiated and results in an overshoot of a 10;000 foot restriction.