Air carrier assigned and flew a profile descent. Center expecting a different profile to be used.

Attributes
ACN	130710
Time
Date	198912
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : profile descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
ASRS Report	130710
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After handoff to ZAB, we were given new clearance en route to lax. The clearance gave the downy 3 arrival after 29 palms to lax. All 3 crew members remarked they had never used this one before. Approaching 29 palms we were cleared from FL310 to FL240. Reaching FL240 I asked for lower, and was advised clrd--we had been cleared for the profile. We started flying the downy 3 arrival when lax approach called and said we should have crossed arnes (34 DME at) 10000'. We ere out of about 10000', going to 7000'. We told approach we were given downe 3 on 2 separate occasions and never heard anything different. This approach is normally used very late at night. We, as a crew, should have questioned abq, or most likely ZLA, about the arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ASSIGNED AND FLEW A PROFILE DESCENT. CENTER EXPECTING A DIFFERENT PROFILE TO BE USED.

Narrative: AFTER HDOF TO ZAB, WE WERE GIVEN NEW CLRNC ENRTE TO LAX. THE CLRNC GAVE THE DOWNY 3 ARR AFTER 29 PALMS TO LAX. ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS REMARKED THEY HAD NEVER USED THIS ONE BEFORE. APCHING 29 PALMS WE WERE CLRED FROM FL310 TO FL240. REACHING FL240 I ASKED FOR LOWER, AND WAS ADVISED CLRD--WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE PROFILE. WE STARTED FLYING THE DOWNY 3 ARR WHEN LAX APCH CALLED AND SAID WE SHOULD HAVE CROSSED ARNES (34 DME AT) 10000'. WE ERE OUT OF ABOUT 10000', GOING TO 7000'. WE TOLD APCH WE WERE GIVEN DOWNE 3 ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND NEVER HEARD ANYTHING DIFFERENT. THIS APCH IS NORMALLY USED VERY LATE AT NIGHT. WE, AS A CREW, SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED ABQ, OR MOST LIKELY ZLA, ABOUT THE ARR.

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.