Flight crew of medium twin engine airplane fails to meet crossing restriction on approach.

Attributes
ACN	118041
Time
Date	198907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : teb tower : teb
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 216 flight time total : 7884 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	118041
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Crossing vings intersection at 2000', we were cleared ny approach to 'cross dandy at 1500, cleared for the ILS runway 6 approach, contact teb tower.' the clearance was read back and accepted west/O correction. The captain continued at 2000'. I called attention to the 1500' and he remarked about the plate calling for 2000' at dandy. I showed him the notice about '*1500 when directed by ATC,' and he then commented that he was going to let down when he flew into the G/south, which seemed reasonable to me. As we were crossing dandy at 1800', tower called and said, 'descend immediately to 1500.' I said, 'roger, crossing dandy at 1800,' as we descended to 1500, and ultimately, G/south interception. In retrospect, I would probably have been more insistent on descending to 1500' initially, but I had it in my mind that 1500' was a minimum altitude. In fact, the normal 2000' is depicted as a minimum altitude, and the 1500' note gives no indication of a mandatory nature. (I do realize that when 'cleared to cross at...' the operative word is 'at.') I nonetheless believe that if this altitude is in fact mandatory on this procedure, it would be wise to depict it on the chart at 1500', and thereby eliminate any ambiguity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MEDIUM TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE FAILS TO MEET CROSSING RESTRICTION ON APCH.

Narrative: XING VINGS INTXN AT 2000', WE WERE CLRED NY APCH TO 'CROSS DANDY AT 1500, CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 6 APCH, CONTACT TEB TWR.' THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK AND ACCEPTED W/O CORRECTION. THE CAPT CONTINUED AT 2000'. I CALLED ATTN TO THE 1500' AND HE REMARKED ABOUT THE PLATE CALLING FOR 2000' AT DANDY. I SHOWED HIM THE NOTICE ABOUT '*1500 WHEN DIRECTED BY ATC,' AND HE THEN COMMENTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO LET DOWN WHEN HE FLEW INTO THE G/S, WHICH SEEMED REASONABLE TO ME. AS WE WERE XING DANDY AT 1800', TWR CALLED AND SAID, 'DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 1500.' I SAID, 'ROGER, XING DANDY AT 1800,' AS WE DSNDED TO 1500, AND ULTIMATELY, G/S INTERCEPTION. IN RETROSPECT, I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN MORE INSISTENT ON DSNDING TO 1500' INITIALLY, BUT I HAD IT IN MY MIND THAT 1500' WAS A MINIMUM ALT. IN FACT, THE NORMAL 2000' IS DEPICTED AS A MINIMUM ALT, AND THE 1500' NOTE GIVES NO INDICATION OF A MANDATORY NATURE. (I DO REALIZE THAT WHEN 'CLRED TO CROSS AT...' THE OPERATIVE WORD IS 'AT.') I NONETHELESS BELIEVE THAT IF THIS ALT IS IN FACT MANDATORY ON THIS PROC, IT WOULD BE WISE TO DEPICT IT ON THE CHART AT 1500', AND THEREBY ELIMINATE ANY AMBIGUITY.

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.