Flight crew of an atx light transport failed to descend in time to make a crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	299389
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo airport : teb
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	299389
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

We were cleared by the metropolitan 4 arrival to teb airport. In our descent we were given several crossing restrs which we accomplished as requested. As our descent continued we were given 'stefe' to be crossed at 11000 ft. A short time later we were told that we did not make the crossing at stefe as requested. We felt that we did, so we looked at the arrival ones again. Upon much closer inspection of the metropolitan arrival we came to realize that we looked at the wrong DME reading on the chart for the crossing at stefe intersection. The biggest problems are the STAR arrs of today. They are becoming ever more complicated and difficult to interpret. If you don't have the time to study the arrival, there is a good chance you will miss something and not comply with a crossing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ATX LTT FAILED TO DSND IN TIME TO MAKE A XING RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY THE METRO 4 ARR TO TEB ARPT. IN OUR DSCNT WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL XING RESTRS WHICH WE ACCOMPLISHED AS REQUESTED. AS OUR DSCNT CONTINUED WE WERE GIVEN 'STEFE' TO BE CROSSED AT 11000 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER WE WERE TOLD THAT WE DID NOT MAKE THE XING AT STEFE AS REQUESTED. WE FELT THAT WE DID, SO WE LOOKED AT THE ARR ONES AGAIN. UPON MUCH CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE METRO ARR WE CAME TO REALIZE THAT WE LOOKED AT THE WRONG DME READING ON THE CHART FOR THE XING AT STEFE INTXN. THE BIGGEST PROBS ARE THE STAR ARRS OF TODAY. THEY ARE BECOMING EVER MORE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO STUDY THE ARR, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL MISS SOMETHING AND NOT COMPLY WITH A XING.

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.