An air carrier widebody transport failed to make its crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	249561
Time
Date	199308
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vhhk airport : vhhh
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : vhhk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 8710 flight time type : 858
ASRS Report	249561
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed hong kong on assigned SID, elato 1 alpha, flight plan route. Approximately 10 mi from airport received radar vectors and a clearance to filed cruise altitude. At approximately 27000 ft, we were then cleared direct elato intersection which was the fir boundary. Since there was no verbal crossing restrictions given to us, and the fact that we were on radar vectors, led us to believe that there was no requirement to be at FL330 (cruise altitude) by the fir. Our altitude crossing elato (fir) was FL310 due to the aircraft being heavy and outside air temperature being very warm. We were climbing the best we could under the circumstances. ATC inquired as to what our altitude was crossing elato and that we were supposed to contact them if unable to reach cruise altitude by elato intersection. On closer inspection, the captain and I discovered from the SID this to be the case, even though we were being radar vectored which would normally negate previous clrncs, in this case, the SID. Also, as previously mentioned, with no crossing restrictions mentioned and being radar vectored, we felt that this requirement was not in effect. I believe that this requirement, if it is important, should be presented in a more visible and noticeable fashion as in other sids, for example in the plan view diagram, adjacent to the fir.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB FAILED TO MAKE ITS XING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: DEPARTED HONG KONG ON ASSIGNED SID, ELATO 1 ALPHA, FLT PLAN RTE. APPROX 10 MI FROM ARPT RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS AND A CLRNC TO FILED CRUISE ALT. AT APPROX 27000 FT, WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT ELATO INTXN WHICH WAS THE FIR BOUNDARY. SINCE THERE WAS NO VERBAL XING RESTRICTIONS GIVEN TO US, AND THE FACT THAT WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS, LED US TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO BE AT FL330 (CRUISE ALT) BY THE FIR. OUR ALT XING ELATO (FIR) WAS FL310 DUE TO THE ACFT BEING HVY AND OUTSIDE AIR TEMP BEING VERY WARM. WE WERE CLBING THE BEST WE COULD UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ATC INQUIRED AS TO WHAT OUR ALT WAS XING ELATO AND THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT THEM IF UNABLE TO REACH CRUISE ALT BY ELATO INTXN. ON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE CAPT AND I DISCOVERED FROM THE SID THIS TO BE THE CASE, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED WHICH WOULD NORMALLY NEGATE PREVIOUS CLRNCS, IN THIS CASE, THE SID. ALSO, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WITH NO XING RESTRICTIONS MENTIONED AND BEING RADAR VECTORED, WE FELT THAT THIS REQUIREMENT WAS NOT IN EFFECT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS REQUIREMENT, IF IT IS IMPORTANT, SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN A MORE VISIBLE AND NOTICEABLE FASHION AS IN OTHER SIDS, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE PLAN VIEW DIAGRAM, ADJACENT TO THE FIR.

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.