Narrative:

After leaving cruise at FL350 and descending to FL240 we were advised to descend further to FL210 and change frequency. The next controller said 'cleared for civet 2 arrival to lax'. We were on J4 inbound to lax. We were not expecting this arrival at this time. The first officer and I were unable to find the civet intersection on the high altitude en route chart in time to make the descent restriction at arnes (11000 ft at 34 DME). With 3 mi to the fix and leaving FL200 we advised center we were not going to be able to meet the restriction at arnes. We were told to stop the descent at FL180 and turn 210 degree left, off the arrival. After flying outbound, away from lax we were turned back in on an intercept heading and reclred the civet 2. There was no mention of, or inference to a violation. However, we did not meet a crossing restriction we had accepted previously. Suggestion: the lax area is extremely dense in airway congestion on the high altitude en route charts. It would be very helpful to have an expanded section of the high altitude en route chart of the lax area just like that published for the new york area. 'Area' charts are not sufficient since they cover low altitude airways. The new york high area chart is an excellent answer to this problem. The lax area is just as congested with jet airways and pilots could greatly benefit from such an expansion of jet airways in the lax area. Even sitting at a desk it is sometimes next to impossible to find an intersection hidden on the high chart around lax. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the 'new york high area chart' is a commercial publication. He suggests that compared to the en route chart there is amazing clarity. Hopes the same can be done for lax.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW MISSES XING RESTRICTION WHEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE INTXN ON HIGH ALT ENRTE CHART.

Narrative: AFTER LEAVING CRUISE AT FL350 AND DSNDING TO FL240 WE WERE ADVISED TO DSND FURTHER TO FL210 AND CHANGE FREQ. THE NEXT CTLR SAID 'CLRED FOR CIVET 2 ARR TO LAX'. WE WERE ON J4 INBOUND TO LAX. WE WERE NOT EXPECTING THIS ARR AT THIS TIME. THE FO AND I WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE CIVET INTXN ON THE HIGH ALT ENRTE CHART IN TIME TO MAKE THE DSCNT RESTRICTION AT ARNES (11000 FT AT 34 DME). WITH 3 MI TO THE FIX AND LEAVING FL200 WE ADVISED CENTER WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE RESTRICTION AT ARNES. WE WERE TOLD TO STOP THE DSCNT AT FL180 AND TURN 210 DEG L, OFF THE ARR. AFTER FLYING OUTBOUND, AWAY FROM LAX WE WERE TURNED BACK IN ON AN INTERCEPT HDG AND RECLRED THE CIVET 2. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF, OR INFERENCE TO A VIOLATION. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT MEET A XING RESTRICTION WE HAD ACCEPTED PREVIOUSLY. SUGGESTION: THE LAX AREA IS EXTREMELY DENSE IN AIRWAY CONGESTION ON THE HIGH ALT ENRTE CHARTS. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE AN EXPANDED SECTION OF THE HIGH ALT ENRTE CHART OF THE LAX AREA JUST LIKE THAT PUBLISHED FOR THE NEW YORK AREA. 'AREA' CHARTS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT SINCE THEY COVER LOW ALT AIRWAYS. THE NEW YORK HIGH AREA CHART IS AN EXCELLENT ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. THE LAX AREA IS JUST AS CONGESTED WITH JET AIRWAYS AND PLTS COULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM SUCH AN EXPANSION OF JET AIRWAYS IN THE LAX AREA. EVEN SITTING AT A DESK IT IS SOMETIMES NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN INTXN HIDDEN ON THE HIGH CHART AROUND LAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE 'NEW YORK HIGH AREA CHART' IS A COMMERCIAL PUBLICATION. HE SUGGESTS THAT COMPARED TO THE ENRTE CHART THERE IS AMAZING CLARITY. HOPES THE SAME CAN BE DONE FOR LAX.

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.