Narrative:

Cleared direct bowie on the bowie 1 arrival (60-2G). Were given several step-down altitudes and at approximately FL240 and level, were told to expect bambe at 11000 ft. We were then slowed to 280 KTS and were then slightly high. As we descended with speed brakes partially deployed to several step-down altitudes (14000 ft, 12000 ft), we were given 11000 ft and 'normal' speed just prior to bambe. (No restr given by controller for altitude or speed. Charted to expected to cross at 11000 ft. Also to cross at and maintain 250 KTS.) we were too close to make the speed and crossing altitude at bambe. We increased descent rate and speed and were given to next approach controller who immediately questioned our speed as we passed over bambe. It was 300 KTS and we told him so, and that we were slowing. We were then told to slow to 250 KTS and that we should have been at 250 KTS at bambe. I believe the problem stemmed from a communication breakdown between the first approach controller and us as to what the second approach controller expected. We were never cleared the bowie 1 arrival specifically, and all the leveloffs prior to bambe, coupled with the late descent clearance to 11000 ft left in my mind a 'work with this particular situation' attitude. It was readily apparent that the final (second) approach controller did not share this attitude. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that he and the first officer knew that the bambe restr was going to be difficult, but were surprised when the first approach controller waited until the last min to assign the crossing restr. They could just make the altitude using full speed brakes and letting the speed increase, he said that they thought that the altitude was more important. The second approach controller did not seem to be aware of their late descent, the reporter said. He was obviously upset and did not expect them to be at high speed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC GETS A LATE DSCNT CLRNC ON A STAR AND IS UNABLE TO CROSS BAMBE AT 11000 FT AND 250 KIAS. THE FLC ELECTS TO CROSS AT 11000 FT AT A HIGHER SPD. THE NEXT APCH CTLR IS NOT INFORMED BY THE FIRST APCH CTLR. B737- 300.

Narrative: CLRED DIRECT BOWIE ON THE BOWIE 1 ARR (60-2G). WERE GIVEN SEVERAL STEP-DOWN ALTS AND AT APPROX FL240 AND LEVEL, WERE TOLD TO EXPECT BAMBE AT 11000 FT. WE WERE THEN SLOWED TO 280 KTS AND WERE THEN SLIGHTLY HIGH. AS WE DSNDED WITH SPD BRAKES PARTIALLY DEPLOYED TO SEVERAL STEP-DOWN ALTS (14000 FT, 12000 FT), WE WERE GIVEN 11000 FT AND 'NORMAL' SPD JUST PRIOR TO BAMBE. (NO RESTR GIVEN BY CTLR FOR ALT OR SPD. CHARTED TO EXPECTED TO CROSS AT 11000 FT. ALSO TO CROSS AT AND MAINTAIN 250 KTS.) WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO MAKE THE SPD AND XING ALT AT BAMBE. WE INCREASED DSCNT RATE AND SPD AND WERE GIVEN TO NEXT APCH CTLR WHO IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED OUR SPD AS WE PASSED OVER BAMBE. IT WAS 300 KTS AND WE TOLD HIM SO, AND THAT WE WERE SLOWING. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO SLOW TO 250 KTS AND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 250 KTS AT BAMBE. I BELIEVE THE PROB STEMMED FROM A COM BREAKDOWN BTWN THE FIRST APCH CTLR AND US AS TO WHAT THE SECOND APCH CTLR EXPECTED. WE WERE NEVER CLRED THE BOWIE 1 ARR SPECIFICALLY, AND ALL THE LEVELOFFS PRIOR TO BAMBE, COUPLED WITH THE LATE DSCNT CLRNC TO 11000 FT LEFT IN MY MIND A 'WORK WITH THIS PARTICULAR SIT' ATTITUDE. IT WAS READILY APPARENT THAT THE FINAL (SECOND) APCH CTLR DID NOT SHARE THIS ATTITUDE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT HE AND THE FO KNEW THAT THE BAMBE RESTR WAS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT WERE SURPRISED WHEN THE FIRST APCH CTLR WAITED UNTIL THE LAST MIN TO ASSIGN THE XING RESTR. THEY COULD JUST MAKE THE ALT USING FULL SPD BRAKES AND LETTING THE SPD INCREASE, HE SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THE ALT WAS MORE IMPORTANT. THE SECOND APCH CTLR DID NOT SEEM TO BE AWARE OF THEIR LATE DSCNT, THE RPTR SAID. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY UPSET AND DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO BE AT HIGH SPD.

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.