Narrative:

We were flying a STAR into bur and failed to cross janny intersection at 8000'. We were given several different altitudes and rtes in a 15-20 min time span. Approach advised us at the intersection we were to have crossed that we should have been at 8000'. We were at 9000'. He said, 'did you copy the clearance to 8000'?' the altitude alerter was set at 9000'. The PF said, 'he said cross at 9000'.' I'm not sure why I would have set in 9000' if he had given us a crossing at 8000'. However with the manner in which clrncs are given, I may have been distracted and set the wrong altitude. There did not appear to be a traffic conflict. When questioned by the controller, we were at the intersection and descended promptly to 8000'. The controllers seem to think we are computers and can recall 5 or 6 different changes during any one transmission. It would be far better and must less confusing if they would shorten the changes to no more than 2 at any one time. While operating in today's environment and all the distrs, trying to sort our 4, 5 or more changes in clearance. Things like this will continue to occur until someone in ATC, FAA or NTSB decides that overloading a crew with numerous changes and revisions is not the safe or prudent way to handle aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CORP JET MISINTERPRETS CROSSING RESTRICTION AT JANNY INTERSECTION WHILE ON THE LYNXX 5 STAR INTO BUR. REPORTER COMPLAINS OF MANY CLRNC CHANGES WITH MULTIPLE INSTRUCTIONS DURING EACH TRANSMISSION.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING A STAR INTO BUR AND FAILED TO CROSS JANNY INTXN AT 8000'. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT ALTS AND RTES IN A 15-20 MIN TIME SPAN. APCH ADVISED US AT THE INTXN WE WERE TO HAVE CROSSED THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 8000'. WE WERE AT 9000'. HE SAID, 'DID YOU COPY THE CLRNC TO 8000'?' THE ALT ALERTER WAS SET AT 9000'. THE PF SAID, 'HE SAID CROSS AT 9000'.' I'M NOT SURE WHY I WOULD HAVE SET IN 9000' IF HE HAD GIVEN US A XING AT 8000'. HOWEVER WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH CLRNCS ARE GIVEN, I MAY HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED AND SET THE WRONG ALT. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A TFC CONFLICT. WHEN QUESTIONED BY THE CTLR, WE WERE AT THE INTXN AND DSNDED PROMPTLY TO 8000'. THE CTLRS SEEM TO THINK WE ARE COMPUTERS AND CAN RECALL 5 OR 6 DIFFERENT CHANGES DURING ANY ONE XMISSION. IT WOULD BE FAR BETTER AND MUST LESS CONFUSING IF THEY WOULD SHORTEN THE CHANGES TO NO MORE THAN 2 AT ANY ONE TIME. WHILE OPERATING IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT AND ALL THE DISTRS, TRYING TO SORT OUR 4, 5 OR MORE CHANGES IN CLRNC. THINGS LIKE THIS WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR UNTIL SOMEONE IN ATC, FAA OR NTSB DECIDES THAT OVERLOADING A CREW WITH NUMEROUS CHANGES AND REVISIONS IS NOT THE SAFE OR PRUDENT WAY TO HANDLE ACFT.

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.