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Air carrier flight crew reports being cleared to descend via the BRDJE1 RNAV arrival except maintain 15;000 feet. The crew attempts to descend directly to 15;000 feet and is admonished by ATC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1218430 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201411 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZFW.ARTCC |
| State Reference | TX |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Route In Use | STAR BRDJE1 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
Just before beginning the BRDJE1 arrival ATC gave us descend to FL260; pilot's discretion; no mention of descend via. A few minutes into this descent a new controller gave us 'descend via the BRDJE1; except maintain 15;000.' we set in 15;000; and verified it as 'set and armed.' I looked and saw a 15;000 limit on another waypoint further into the arrival; and somehow justified the 15;000 in my mind. Passing thru FL230 controller had us stop descent; then told us we were to have levelled at FL260 per the arrival; but to now maintain FL230 and comply with rest of arrival except maintain 310 kts. We did so without further incident. Controller was very tactful regarding our error; and thank him for that. I think that transitioning from a cruise altitude to a pilot's discretion clearance to FL260 without mention of a descend via; might have lulled us into getting the next descent to 15;000 with a descend via; however it was plain and simple an error that either one of us pilots should not have committed. I think we pilots both got a little dyslexic thinking that we were to descend now to 15;000; then comply with rest of STAR; instead of meet all higher altitude constraints on STAR; except do not descend below 15;000. I would prefer to hear 'descend via STAR; except do not descend below 15;000.' however; in the future I will do as I usually do and query the controller if unsure about his/her expectations.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Air Carrier flight crew reports being cleared to descend via the BRDJE1 RNAV arrival except maintain 15;000 feet. The crew attempts to descend directly to 15;000 feet and is admonished by ATC.
Narrative: Just before beginning the BRDJE1 arrival ATC gave us descend to FL260; pilot's discretion; no mention of descend via. A few minutes into this descent a new controller gave us 'descend via the BRDJE1; except maintain 15;000.' We set in 15;000; and verified it as 'set and armed.' I looked and saw a 15;000 limit on another waypoint further into the arrival; and somehow justified the 15;000 in my mind. Passing thru FL230 controller had us stop descent; then told us we were to have levelled at FL260 per the arrival; but to now maintain FL230 and comply with rest of arrival except maintain 310 kts. We did so without further incident. Controller was very tactful regarding our error; and thank him for that. I think that transitioning from a cruise altitude to a pilot's discretion clearance to FL260 without mention of a descend via; might have lulled us into getting the next descent to 15;000 with a descend via; however it was plain and simple an error that either one of us pilots should not have committed. I think we pilots both got a little dyslexic thinking that we were to descend now to 15;000; THEN comply with rest of STAR; instead of meet all higher altitude constraints on STAR; EXCEPT do not descend below 15;000. I would prefer to hear 'descend via STAR; except do not descend below 15;000.' However; in the future I will do as I usually do and query the controller if unsure about his/her expectations.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.