Altitude crossing restr. Air carrier reports receiving a crossing clearance that was impossible to m...

Attributes
ACN	305140
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrp
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
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
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	305140
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were originally cleared direct to the bucks intersection en route to phl by previous controller. We were handed off to ZNY (133.67) which gave us a clearance to cross 11 mi west of lrp VOR at 11000 ft. After reading back clearance I had first officer tell controller that we had been previously cleared direct to bucks and that we were not going to lrp VOR. Controller then told us to cross 45 mi west of bucks intersection at 11000 ft. First officer read back clearance, but we were only 48 mi from bucks and still at approximately 21000 ft. I asked first officer to tell controller that we could not accept that clearance, but we could not talk to controller who was so busy that he talked nonstop for 5 mins. We were given an impossible clearance to comply with. I feel that this is just another good example of why this type of crossing restr clearance should be eliminated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT XING RESTR. ACR RPTS RECEIVING A XING CLRNC THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET.

Narrative: WE WERE ORIGINALLY CLRED DIRECT TO THE BUCKS INTXN ENRTE TO PHL BY PREVIOUS CTLR. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZNY (133.67) WHICH GAVE US A CLRNC TO CROSS 11 MI W OF LRP VOR AT 11000 FT. AFTER READING BACK CLRNC I HAD FO TELL CTLR THAT WE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLRED DIRECT TO BUCKS AND THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO LRP VOR. CTLR THEN TOLD US TO CROSS 45 MI W OF BUCKS INTXN AT 11000 FT. FO READ BACK CLRNC, BUT WE WERE ONLY 48 MI FROM BUCKS AND STILL AT APPROX 21000 FT. I ASKED FO TO TELL CTLR THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT THAT CLRNC, BUT WE COULD NOT TALK TO CTLR WHO WAS SO BUSY THAT HE TALKED NONSTOP FOR 5 MINS. WE WERE GIVEN AN IMPOSSIBLE CLRNC TO COMPLY WITH. I FEEL THAT THIS IS JUST ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHY THIS TYPE OF XING RESTR CLRNC SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.

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.

Altitude crossing restr. Air carrier reports receiving a crossing clearance that was impossible to meet.