Altitude crossing restr not met.

Attributes
ACN	299657
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : olm
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	299657
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 : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the olympic arrival into seattle, ZSE was stepping us down on the descent from 35000 ft. Initially we went to 24000 ft then 21000 ft then 16000 ft then 14000 ft. Since we were not cleared to cross olympia at 12000 ft we were not expecting that clearance. At 8 mi from the VOR we were descending through 17000 ft on our way to 14000 ft when the controller told us to cross olympia at 12000 ft. We stated that would not be possible at which point he advised us that the 12000 ft crossing was required by the arrival. I then stated we would not make 12000 ft by olympia and requested a vector or he could take what we could give him as far as a crossing altitude at olympia. He then said no problem and cleared us over to seattle approach control. Even if we had been at 14000 ft, when he cleared us to cross the VOR at 12000 ft it would not have been possible. We felt like the crossing instructions (12000 ft at olm) were an after thought by the controller. There certainly was a failure to communicate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: ON THE OLYMPIC ARR INTO SEATTLE, ZSE WAS STEPPING US DOWN ON THE DSCNT FROM 35000 FT. INITIALLY WE WENT TO 24000 FT THEN 21000 FT THEN 16000 FT THEN 14000 FT. SINCE WE WERE NOT CLRED TO CROSS OLYMPIA AT 12000 FT WE WERE NOT EXPECTING THAT CLRNC. AT 8 MI FROM THE VOR WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 17000 FT ON OUR WAY TO 14000 FT WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO CROSS OLYMPIA AT 12000 FT. WE STATED THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE AT WHICH POINT HE ADVISED US THAT THE 12000 FT XING WAS REQUIRED BY THE ARR. I THEN STATED WE WOULD NOT MAKE 12000 FT BY OLYMPIA AND REQUESTED A VECTOR OR HE COULD TAKE WHAT WE COULD GIVE HIM AS FAR AS A XING ALT AT OLYMPIA. HE THEN SAID NO PROB AND CLRED US OVER TO SEATTLE APCH CTL. EVEN IF WE HAD BEEN AT 14000 FT, WHEN HE CLRED US TO CROSS THE VOR AT 12000 FT IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. WE FELT LIKE THE XING INSTRUCTIONS (12000 FT AT OLM) WERE AN AFTER THOUGHT BY THE CTLR. THERE CERTAINLY WAS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.

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.