Hcf controller reported of a problem that happens often with aircraft on the VECKI8 STAR to koa. Pil...

Narrative:

I took over right 4/5 position from previous controller; aircraft X was on an IFR flight plan and at the time dct..onohi.VECKI8.koa. Aircraft X had been cleared for the ILS approach by the previous controller. Aircraft X crossed onohi above 090 but descended below 088 prior to wansi. An MSAW alert was triggered on the radar scope and the aircraft was observed as low as 068 about 3 miles north of wansi. I advised to pilot that the minimum IFR altitude (mia) on his route of flight was 088 and that after wansi it became 040 but did not issue proper phraseology for a low altitude alert. The pilot halted his descent and then continued down after wansi. Pilots seem confused by the VECKI8 arrival. This is not the first time I've seen a pilot descend below the mia when cleared for the ILS in conjunction with this arrival. Also; pilots will often ask the controller to confirm altitude assignments along the arrival. I know that this is the pilot's responsibility to understand and comply with the STAR; but enough of them seem to have trouble with this arrival to suggest that maybe we should take a look at how the STAR is worded or depicted to pilots. It's becoming a systemic problem rather than associated with individual pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HCF Controller reported of a problem that happens often with aircraft on the VECKI8 STAR to KOA. Pilots descend below the Minimum IFR Altitude when cleared for the ILS in conjunction with this arrival.

Narrative: I took over R 4/5 position from previous controller; Aircraft X was on an IFR flight plan and at the time DCT..ONOHI.VECKI8.KOA. Aircraft X had been cleared for the ILS approach by the previous controller. Aircraft X crossed ONOHI above 090 but descended below 088 prior to WANSI. An MSAW alert was triggered on the radar scope and the aircraft was observed as low as 068 about 3 miles north of WANSI. I advised to pilot that the Minimum IFR Altitude (MIA) on his route of flight was 088 and that after WANSI it became 040 but did not issue proper phraseology for a low altitude alert. The pilot halted his descent and then continued down after WANSI. Pilots seem confused by the VECKI8 arrival. This is not the first time I've seen a pilot descend below the MIA when cleared for the ILS in conjunction with this arrival. Also; pilots will often ask the controller to confirm altitude assignments along the arrival. I know that this is the pilot's responsibility to understand and comply with the STAR; but enough of them seem to have trouble with this arrival to suggest that maybe we should take a look at how the STAR is worded or depicted to pilots. It's becoming a systemic problem rather than associated with individual pilots.

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.

Attributes
ACN	1290148
Time
Date	201508
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	KOA.Airport
State Reference	HI
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Global Express (BD700)
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	STAR VECKI8
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Developmental
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Hcf controller reported of a problem that happens often with aircraft on the VECKI8 STAR to koa. Pilots descend below the minimum IFR altitude when cleared for the ILS in conjunction with this arrival.