Narrative:

Acrs X was descending from the high altitude sector, and after initial call-up, the low altitude controller issued the aircraft a clearance of: 'cross whigg intersection at and maintain 1-5-thousand, and 2-5-0 KTS.' the pilot responded with: 'air carrier X, we'll do it.' at whigg the aircraft's mode C altitude readout on the controller's scope indicated 16500' MSL, and the ground speed readout indicated that the aircraft was still well above the 250 KTS restriction. When the controller questioned the pilot and advised him that he had busted his clearance, the pilot (in this case, the first officer) responded with an unconcerned, 'yeah, I know.' the flight was advised to call the center after landing, and the captain spoke with the area manager on duty. The captain was apologetic about the first officer's flippant response, and explained that although they had entered the restriction in the aircraft's FMC, that they could not have made the restriction due to a previously issued restriction, and a late handoff to the low altitude sector. The captain did not, at any time, however, advise the controller that they would be unable to comply with the clearance. There is an increasing evidence of complacency in the cockpit, with respect to strict compliance with ATC restrictions. Pilots must realize that failure to comply with such a clearance, or failure to advise the controller in a timely manner, could place the aircraft in unsafe proximity to other aircraft, and can cause other equally serious problems for the controller, such as significant disruption of traffic flow, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ALLEGES FLT CREW COMPLACENT ABOUT NOT MAKING ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION OR AIRSPEED RESTRICTION. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ACRS X WAS DSNDING FROM THE HIGH ALT SECTOR, AND AFTER INITIAL CALL-UP, THE LOW ALT CTLR ISSUED THE ACFT A CLRNC OF: 'CROSS WHIGG INTXN AT AND MAINTAIN 1-5-THOUSAND, AND 2-5-0 KTS.' THE PLT RESPONDED WITH: 'ACR X, WE'LL DO IT.' AT WHIGG THE ACFT'S MODE C ALT READOUT ON THE CTLR'S SCOPE INDICATED 16500' MSL, AND THE GND SPD READOUT INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS STILL WELL ABOVE THE 250 KTS RESTRICTION. WHEN THE CTLR QUESTIONED THE PLT AND ADVISED HIM THAT HE HAD BUSTED HIS CLRNC, THE PLT (IN THIS CASE, THE F/O) RESPONDED WITH AN UNCONCERNED, 'YEAH, I KNOW.' THE FLT WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE CENTER AFTER LNDG, AND THE CAPT SPOKE WITH THE AREA MGR ON DUTY. THE CAPT WAS APOLOGETIC ABOUT THE F/O'S FLIPPANT RESPONSE, AND EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH THEY HAD ENTERED THE RESTRICTION IN THE ACFT'S FMC, THAT THEY COULD NOT HAVE MADE THE RESTRICTION DUE TO A PREVIOUSLY ISSUED RESTRICTION, AND A LATE HDOF TO THE LOW ALT SECTOR. THE CAPT DID NOT, AT ANY TIME, HOWEVER, ADVISE THE CTLR THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC. THERE IS AN INCREASING EVIDENCE OF COMPLACENCY IN THE COCKPIT, WITH RESPECT TO STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH ATC RESTRICTIONS. PLTS MUST REALIZE THAT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SUCH A CLRNC, OR FAILURE TO ADVISE THE CTLR IN A TIMELY MANNER, COULD PLACE THE ACFT IN UNSAFE PROX TO OTHER ACFT, AND CAN CAUSE OTHER EQUALLY SERIOUS PROBS FOR THE CTLR, SUCH AS SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION OF TFC FLOW, ETC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.