Narrative:

We were cleared for the jammn 1 arrival to slc landing south. This is the first time I had flown this approach. All radials and DME's were met as depicted, however, I started a descent from 13000 ft to 12000 ft at 27 DME to chhip intersection instead of 23 DME as depicted on the chart. Approach control called us as we were at 12700 ft and told us to climb back to 13000 ft, and we complied. At 23 DME we then descended to 12000 ft to chhip intersection. The rest of the approach was normal. The problem was mine as I misread the DME and started the descent to 12000 ft too early. Slc approach control did a good job monitoring my descent and made a good call to climb back to 13000 ft. After studying this approach later on the ground it really is not that difficult, but I feel that there is a lot of information depicted on that plate that could cause some confusion if seeing it for the first time. Possibly some study could be done to clean it up a bit. Maybe issue 2 approach plates, one landing south and the other landing north. This is my first NASA report in 30 yrs of flying and I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG DSNDED EARLY DURING A STAR ARR RESULTING IN ATC INTERVENTION TO CLB BACK TO THE XING RESTR ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE JAMMN 1 ARR TO SLC LNDG S. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAD FLOWN THIS APCH. ALL RADIALS AND DME'S WERE MET AS DEPICTED, HOWEVER, I STARTED A DSCNT FROM 13000 FT TO 12000 FT AT 27 DME TO CHHIP INTXN INSTEAD OF 23 DME AS DEPICTED ON THE CHART. APCH CTL CALLED US AS WE WERE AT 12700 FT AND TOLD US TO CLB BACK TO 13000 FT, AND WE COMPLIED. AT 23 DME WE THEN DSNDED TO 12000 FT TO CHHIP INTXN. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS NORMAL. THE PROB WAS MINE AS I MISREAD THE DME AND STARTED THE DSCNT TO 12000 FT TOO EARLY. SLC APCH CTL DID A GOOD JOB MONITORING MY DSCNT AND MADE A GOOD CALL TO CLB BACK TO 13000 FT. AFTER STUDYING THIS APCH LATER ON THE GND IT REALLY IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT, BUT I FEEL THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INFO DEPICTED ON THAT PLATE THAT COULD CAUSE SOME CONFUSION IF SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. POSSIBLY SOME STUDY COULD BE DONE TO CLEAN IT UP A BIT. MAYBE ISSUE 2 APCH PLATES, ONE LNDG S AND THE OTHER LNDG N. THIS IS MY FIRST NASA RPT IN 30 YRS OF FLYING AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS EVENT.

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.