Narrative:

We were being vectored to intercept macey arrival from the northeast. ZTL cleared us to 'turn left to 245 degrees, intercept macey arrival, cross 40 DME northeast of atl at 13000 ft, 250 KTS, altimeter 29.98.' the controller read the clearance so 'rapid fire' that neither I nor the first officer understood the full clearance. We acknowledged the new heading 245 degrees, but then asked if the clearance was 12000 ft or 13000 ft. The controller then repeated the clearance. The first officer and I then discussed what poor controling it was for a controller to read a detailed clearance so fast that we couldn't even understand it, let alone write it down. We then both forgot about the clearance to descend to cross 40 NM from atl VOR at 13000 ft and 250 KTS. When ZTL turned us over to atl approach, approach control asked us what our altitude was (we were approximately 50 NM from atl). Approach control said, 'what's your altitude?' we said, 'FL200.' approach control said, 'descend to 13000 ft.' we acknowledged and descended to 13000 ft. The first officer then said, 'did we have a crossing restr that we missed?' I said, 'I don't remember any -- only a 245 degree heading to intercept the macey arrival.' we later both remembered the clearance to cross 40 NM from atl at 13000 ft and 250 KTS. ATC never said anything and we had no conflict with traffic. Uneventful descent, approach and landing. The problem was caused by: 1) ATC reading a detailed clearance (including heading, arrival information, altitude, DME, airspeed and altimeter) so fast that we couldn't remember it all. 2) the cockpit crew being distraction by discussing the communication problems created by 'rapid fire' clrncs and the confusion that results. P.south. If ATC had reminded us about the 13000 ft, 40 DME, 250 KT restr when we contacted approach control at 50 DME, we could have made the restr of 13000 ft at 40 DME with idle power and drag devices, but approach control only said 'descend to 13000 ft.' we leveled off at 13000 ft at 34 DME with normal descent rate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FAILS TO MAKE XING RESTR WHILE DISCUSSING POOR CTLR TECHNIQUE.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT MACEY ARR FROM THE NE. ZTL CLRED US TO 'TURN L TO 245 DEGS, INTERCEPT MACEY ARR, CROSS 40 DME NE OF ATL AT 13000 FT, 250 KTS, ALTIMETER 29.98.' THE CTLR READ THE CLRNC SO 'RAPID FIRE' THAT NEITHER I NOR THE FO UNDERSTOOD THE FULL CLRNC. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEW HDG 245 DEGS, BUT THEN ASKED IF THE CLRNC WAS 12000 FT OR 13000 FT. THE CTLR THEN REPEATED THE CLRNC. THE FO AND I THEN DISCUSSED WHAT POOR CTLING IT WAS FOR A CTLR TO READ A DETAILED CLRNC SO FAST THAT WE COULDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND IT, LET ALONE WRITE IT DOWN. WE THEN BOTH FORGOT ABOUT THE CLRNC TO DSND TO CROSS 40 NM FROM ATL VOR AT 13000 FT AND 250 KTS. WHEN ZTL TURNED US OVER TO ATL APCH, APCH CTL ASKED US WHAT OUR ALT WAS (WE WERE APPROX 50 NM FROM ATL). APCH CTL SAID, 'WHAT'S YOUR ALT?' WE SAID, 'FL200.' APCH CTL SAID, 'DSND TO 13000 FT.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND DSNDED TO 13000 FT. THE FO THEN SAID, 'DID WE HAVE A XING RESTR THAT WE MISSED?' I SAID, 'I DON'T REMEMBER ANY -- ONLY A 245 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE MACEY ARR.' WE LATER BOTH REMEMBERED THE CLRNC TO CROSS 40 NM FROM ATL AT 13000 FT AND 250 KTS. ATC NEVER SAID ANYTHING AND WE HAD NO CONFLICT WITH TFC. UNEVENTFUL DSCNT, APCH AND LNDG. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY: 1) ATC READING A DETAILED CLRNC (INCLUDING HDG, ARR INFO, ALT, DME, AIRSPD AND ALTIMETER) SO FAST THAT WE COULDN'T REMEMBER IT ALL. 2) THE COCKPIT CREW BEING DISTR BY DISCUSSING THE COM PROBS CREATED BY 'RAPID FIRE' CLRNCS AND THE CONFUSION THAT RESULTS. P.S. IF ATC HAD REMINDED US ABOUT THE 13000 FT, 40 DME, 250 KT RESTR WHEN WE CONTACTED APCH CTL AT 50 DME, WE COULD HAVE MADE THE RESTR OF 13000 FT AT 40 DME WITH IDLE PWR AND DRAG DEVICES, BUT APCH CTL ONLY SAID 'DSND TO 13000 FT.' WE LEVELED OFF AT 13000 FT AT 34 DME WITH NORMAL DSCNT RATE.

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.