Flight crew of light transport commuter cleared cross 55 before lhs at 14000 arrived there FL190.

Attributes
ACN	200042
Time
Date	199201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lhs airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	200042
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

En route from fat to bur at FL190, cleared direct lhs. Received strong positive identify and DME. Were issued crossing restriction of 55 NM northwest of lhs at 14000. At approximately 83 DME indicated ZLA advised we were presently at the 55 DME crossing restriction and were told to descend immediately -- no previous 'heads up' calls from center were issued and frequency congestion was very light. Shortly after descent was initiated, both navs (tuned to lhs) flagged off and returned on with what was confirmed with center as accurate DME readings (approximately 50 NM). No other discrepancies were noted with the DME equipment during the remainder of the flight. The DME's were written up as inoperative and deferred to maintenance for inspection. Suggestion: this apparently presented no traffic conflict for the controller (this is a standard restriction) but he did not advise us until we were at the 55 DME restriction before contacting us. Even though the controller became upset, I feel a 'heads up' call was warranted and possible. Frequency congestion appeared very light.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LTT COMMUTER CLRED CROSS 55 BEFORE LHS AT 14000 ARRIVED THERE FL190.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM FAT TO BUR AT FL190, CLRED DIRECT LHS. RECEIVED STRONG POSITIVE IDENT AND DME. WERE ISSUED XING RESTRICTION OF 55 NM NW OF LHS AT 14000. AT APPROX 83 DME INDICATED ZLA ADVISED WE WERE PRESENTLY AT THE 55 DME XING RESTRICTION AND WERE TOLD TO DSND IMMEDIATELY -- NO PREVIOUS 'HEADS UP' CALLS FROM CTR WERE ISSUED AND FREQ CONGESTION WAS VERY LIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER DSCNT WAS INITIATED, BOTH NAVS (TUNED TO LHS) FLAGGED OFF AND RETURNED ON WITH WHAT WAS CONFIRMED WITH CTR AS ACCURATE DME READINGS (APPROX 50 NM). NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE DME EQUIP DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. THE DME'S WERE WRITTEN UP AS INOP AND DEFERRED TO MAINT FOR INSPECTION. SUGGESTION: THIS APPARENTLY PRESENTED NO TFC CONFLICT FOR THE CTLR (THIS IS A STANDARD RESTRICTION) BUT HE DID NOT ADVISE US UNTIL WE WERE AT THE 55 DME RESTRICTION BEFORE CONTACTING US. EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR BECAME UPSET, I FEEL A 'HEADS UP' CALL WAS WARRANTED AND POSSIBLE. FREQ CONGESTION APPEARED VERY LIGHT.

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.