Altitude restr thought to be violated.

Attributes
ACN	295969
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 26500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	295969
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
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cleared to cross 25 mi northeast of albany VOR at FL250. Copilot flying. Started descent in plenty of time. Then controller said 'now cleared to cross albany at FL190 to maintain 16000 ft. At that time we were still on descent schedule to cross the 25 mi fix at FL250. I then turned to discuss the WX, etc, on the ATIS with the so. When I turned around I quickly noticed that we would not make the 25 mi restr. Questioning the first officer he said he adjusted his rate of descent to cross albany at FL190. He was under the impression that the second clearance voided the first. We were actually about 1500 ft high at the 25 mi fix. I don't know how we could have avoided this except I should have questioned the controller if the 25 mi restr remained when the second altitude restr was issued. I also should have reminded the first officer that the 25 mi restr remained in force. I also think the controller should have said 'continue descent to cross albany at FL190' instead of 'now descend' as that terminology makes the first officer think that the 25 mi restr had been removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT RESTR THOUGHT TO BE VIOLATED.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS 25 MI NE OF ALBANY VOR AT FL250. COPLT FLYING. STARTED DSCNT IN PLENTY OF TIME. THEN CTLR SAID 'NOW CLRED TO CROSS ALBANY AT FL190 TO MAINTAIN 16000 FT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE STILL ON DSCNT SCHEDULE TO CROSS THE 25 MI FIX AT FL250. I THEN TURNED TO DISCUSS THE WX, ETC, ON THE ATIS WITH THE SO. WHEN I TURNED AROUND I QUICKLY NOTICED THAT WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE 25 MI RESTR. QUESTIONING THE FO HE SAID HE ADJUSTED HIS RATE OF DSCNT TO CROSS ALBANY AT FL190. HE WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE SECOND CLRNC VOIDED THE FIRST. WE WERE ACTUALLY ABOUT 1500 FT HIGH AT THE 25 MI FIX. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS EXCEPT I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CTLR IF THE 25 MI RESTR REMAINED WHEN THE SECOND ALT RESTR WAS ISSUED. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE REMINDED THE FO THAT THE 25 MI RESTR REMAINED IN FORCE. I ALSO THINK THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE SAID 'CONTINUE DSCNT TO CROSS ALBANY AT FL190' INSTEAD OF 'NOW DSND' AS THAT TERMINOLOGY MAKES THE FO THINK THAT THE 25 MI RESTR HAD BEEN REMOVED.

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.