Altitude deviation. Altitude undershot. Crossing restriction not met.

Attributes
ACN	142089
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 26000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	142089
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On direct routing to jfk VOR toward bos, we were given a crossing restriction from FL330 to cross the jfk 061 degree right 20 DME at FL240. We were vectored off the arwy and cleared to descend FL240. Following, we were vectored back to intercept the jfk 061 degree right and the same restriction. My first officer and I questioned whether there was a restriction. We ultimately crossed FL240 at 25 NM north vs 20 NM. No comment was made by ZBW. This situation is brought to attention as ARTCC controllers continually give altitude restrictions, vector flts off the arwy and further return the flight to the arwy, confusing the altitude crossing restriction clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. ALT UNDERSHOT. CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: ON DIRECT ROUTING TO JFK VOR TOWARD BOS, WE WERE GIVEN A XING RESTRICTION FROM FL330 TO CROSS THE JFK 061 DEG R 20 DME AT FL240. WE WERE VECTORED OFF THE ARWY AND CLRED TO DSND FL240. FOLLOWING, WE WERE VECTORED BACK TO INTERCEPT THE JFK 061 DEG R AND THE SAME RESTRICTION. MY F/O AND I QUESTIONED WHETHER THERE WAS A RESTRICTION. WE ULTIMATELY CROSSED FL240 AT 25 NM N VS 20 NM. NO COMMENT WAS MADE BY ZBW. THIS SITUATION IS BROUGHT TO ATTN AS ARTCC CTLRS CONTINUALLY GIVE ALT RESTRICTIONS, VECTOR FLTS OFF THE ARWY AND FURTHER RETURN THE FLT TO THE ARWY, CONFUSING THE ALT XING RESTRICTION CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.