Flight crew misses published altitude restr.

Attributes
ACN	302763
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yyz
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czyz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	302763
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Toronto center told us to use maximum airspeed after clearing us for the runway 6 profile and asked what that airspeed would be and if we could, maintain 340 KIAS. I responded with we would go fast but just under 340 KIAS to avoid overspd warnings. He said fine and repeated 'cleared runway 6 profile.' both my copilot and myself got the impression speed was the most important part of this clearance and proceeded. At about 15000 ft we were handed off and told to begin slowing. When we switched over we were asked what our prior clearance had been. He then mentioned we had a restr that we were going to miss. At that time we showed about 3 plus mi linng, 13500 ft and 300 KIAS. We could not make both altitude and speed by 25 DME. Since we were in the process of slowing, per prior controller, we crossed linng at about 13000 ft to 260-270 KIAS. The clearance was a bit confusing or contradictory but in retrospect, we both believed the speed had been deleted in error. Recommend clarification of how the clearance is given with emphasis on 'keep your speed up -- but comply with all restrs on the STAR.' this would eliminate the seeming contradiction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISSES PUBLISHED ALT RESTR.

Narrative: TORONTO CTR TOLD US TO USE MAX AIRSPD AFTER CLRING US FOR THE RWY 6 PROFILE AND ASKED WHAT THAT AIRSPD WOULD BE AND IF WE COULD, MAINTAIN 340 KIAS. I RESPONDED WITH WE WOULD GO FAST BUT JUST UNDER 340 KIAS TO AVOID OVERSPD WARNINGS. HE SAID FINE AND REPEATED 'CLRED RWY 6 PROFILE.' BOTH MY COPLT AND MYSELF GOT THE IMPRESSION SPD WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CLRNC AND PROCEEDED. AT ABOUT 15000 FT WE WERE HANDED OFF AND TOLD TO BEGIN SLOWING. WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER WE WERE ASKED WHAT OUR PRIOR CLRNC HAD BEEN. HE THEN MENTIONED WE HAD A RESTR THAT WE WERE GOING TO MISS. AT THAT TIME WE SHOWED ABOUT 3 PLUS MI LINNG, 13500 FT AND 300 KIAS. WE COULD NOT MAKE BOTH ALT AND SPD BY 25 DME. SINCE WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SLOWING, PER PRIOR CTLR, WE CROSSED LINNG AT ABOUT 13000 FT TO 260-270 KIAS. THE CLRNC WAS A BIT CONFUSING OR CONTRADICTORY BUT IN RETROSPECT, WE BOTH BELIEVED THE SPD HAD BEEN DELETED IN ERROR. RECOMMEND CLARIFICATION OF HOW THE CLRNC IS GIVEN WITH EMPHASIS ON 'KEEP YOUR SPD UP -- BUT COMPLY WITH ALL RESTRS ON THE STAR.' THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE SEEMING CONTRADICTION.

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.