Commuter has crossing restr assigned. Flight crew feels they complied, ATC seems to think not.

Attributes
ACN	313120
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
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 : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2480 flight time type : 1210
ASRS Report	313120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our clearance was to cross walet intersection at 6000 ft. This aircraft, which is different from most of our fleet, only has DME on the captain's side. Without RNAV or being able to pull up a second course on the ehsi, the captain tracked outbound from sidon VOR and began the descent while I (first officer) tuned my VOR to memphis 045 degree radial which defines the intersection. As we passed 7700 ft I noticed my CDI needle bounce and called course alive. The captain increased the rate of descent and slightly retarded the throttles. As I called 1000 to go ATC queried us on our altitude and I replied 'out of 7 for 6.' the captain puzzled by the ATC call flipped his VOR to mem 045 degrees. As we passed 300 ft to go first officer's VOR was showing 2 dots deflection and captain's was showing less than 1 DOT deflection. Captain leveled off and completed turn when ATC asked us what our crossing restr was. I repeated it and he angrily responded that he gave us those restrs for a reason and we needed to comply then handed us off to approach controller. At memphis I checked both VOR against the vot and there was no error. We can't be sure of what the controller saw but suspected a mode C problem although no other controller reported us off altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER HAS XING RESTR ASSIGNED. FLC FEELS THEY COMPLIED, ATC SEEMS TO THINK NOT.

Narrative: OUR CLRNC WAS TO CROSS WALET INTXN AT 6000 FT. THIS ACFT, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM MOST OF OUR FLEET, ONLY HAS DME ON THE CAPT'S SIDE. WITHOUT RNAV OR BEING ABLE TO PULL UP A SECOND COURSE ON THE EHSI, THE CAPT TRACKED OUTBOUND FROM SIDON VOR AND BEGAN THE DSCNT WHILE I (FO) TUNED MY VOR TO MEMPHIS 045 DEG RADIAL WHICH DEFINES THE INTXN. AS WE PASSED 7700 FT I NOTICED MY CDI NEEDLE BOUNCE AND CALLED COURSE ALIVE. THE CAPT INCREASED THE RATE OF DSCNT AND SLIGHTLY RETARDED THE THROTTLES. AS I CALLED 1000 TO GO ATC QUERIED US ON OUR ALT AND I REPLIED 'OUT OF 7 FOR 6.' THE CAPT PUZZLED BY THE ATC CALL FLIPPED HIS VOR TO MEM 045 DEGS. AS WE PASSED 300 FT TO GO FO'S VOR WAS SHOWING 2 DOTS DEFLECTION AND CAPT'S WAS SHOWING LESS THAN 1 DOT DEFLECTION. CAPT LEVELED OFF AND COMPLETED TURN WHEN ATC ASKED US WHAT OUR XING RESTR WAS. I REPEATED IT AND HE ANGRILY RESPONDED THAT HE GAVE US THOSE RESTRS FOR A REASON AND WE NEEDED TO COMPLY THEN HANDED US OFF TO APCH CTLR. AT MEMPHIS I CHKED BOTH VOR AGAINST THE VOT AND THERE WAS NO ERROR. WE CAN'T BE SURE OF WHAT THE CTLR SAW BUT SUSPECTED A MODE C PROB ALTHOUGH NO OTHER CTLR RPTED US OFF ALT.

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.