Narrative:

Problem arose when both captain and first officer misread new 'bowie 1 arrival.' both captain and first officer misread 'D44' as indicating 44 mi between bowie (ukw) and kagle instead of location of 'bambe' as 44 mi from dfw. As a result we initiated descent too late to cross kagle at 12000 ft. Error was discovered when center switched us to approach passing 24000 ft. We knew we were high and recognized the error. We advised approach we would not make kagle at 12000 ft and were advised in return not to worry about it. In reviewing the arrival, I believe it could be simplified. Since there are no course changes, speed changes or altitude changes at 'bambe,' 'hikay' or 'jutes,' why garbage up the arrival with additional names and numbers? What do they add to the arrival, but clutter and the potential for misreading/miscalculating as did both my first officer and myself. Add to it the fact that the STAR is on a foldout sheet and there is even a greater potential for mistakes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that he was flying a B737- 300 on the bowie 1 STAR when he and his first officer misidented the location of kagle and found themselves too high to make their crossing restr. The reporter said that the new stars are too cluttered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING THE BOWIE 1 STAR MISIDENTS KAGLE AND CROSSES IT TOO HIGH. THEY COMPLAIN THAT THE STAR PUB IS TOO CLUTTERED FOR NORMAL OPERATIONAL USE. B737-300.

Narrative: PROB AROSE WHEN BOTH CAPT AND FO MISREAD NEW 'BOWIE 1 ARR.' BOTH CAPT AND FO MISREAD 'D44' AS INDICATING 44 MI BTWN BOWIE (UKW) AND KAGLE INSTEAD OF LOCATION OF 'BAMBE' AS 44 MI FROM DFW. AS A RESULT WE INITIATED DSCNT TOO LATE TO CROSS KAGLE AT 12000 FT. ERROR WAS DISCOVERED WHEN CTR SWITCHED US TO APCH PASSING 24000 FT. WE KNEW WE WERE HIGH AND RECOGNIZED THE ERROR. WE ADVISED APCH WE WOULD NOT MAKE KAGLE AT 12000 FT AND WERE ADVISED IN RETURN NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. IN REVIEWING THE ARR, I BELIEVE IT COULD BE SIMPLIFIED. SINCE THERE ARE NO COURSE CHANGES, SPD CHANGES OR ALT CHANGES AT 'BAMBE,' 'HIKAY' OR 'JUTES,' WHY GARBAGE UP THE ARR WITH ADDITIONAL NAMES AND NUMBERS? WHAT DO THEY ADD TO THE ARR, BUT CLUTTER AND THE POTENTIAL FOR MISREADING/MISCALCULATING AS DID BOTH MY FO AND MYSELF. ADD TO IT THE FACT THAT THE STAR IS ON A FOLDOUT SHEET AND THERE IS EVEN A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR MISTAKES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT HE WAS FLYING A B737- 300 ON THE BOWIE 1 STAR WHEN HE AND HIS FO MISIDENTED THE LOCATION OF KAGLE AND FOUND THEMSELVES TOO HIGH TO MAKE THEIR XING RESTR. THE RPTR SAID THAT THE NEW STARS ARE TOO CLUTTERED.

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.