Heavy transport flies below last assigned altitude on lax reedr 3 arrival.

Attributes
ACN	359888
Time
Date	199701
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9400 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	359888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Jan/xx/97, cvg-lax. Approximately 150 mi from lax, pilots told to expect reedr 3 arrival, for runways 6 and 7 at lax. 120 mi cleared to 14000 ft and cleared reedr arrival. Started descent from FL310 to 14000 ft. Socal took handoff from ZLA. Socal issued clearance to cross bindy at/or above 12000 ft and base at 10000 ft. Pilots complied with these instructions. Pilots mistakenly assumed that because of all the other clrncs, that they also should cross reedr at/above 8000 ft. As descending through 9400 ft for 8000 ft, socal asked altitude. At this point the lady said, your last assigned was 10000 ft. Captain said 'ok, returning to 10000 ft.' when passing 9500 ft climbing, she then told us that she had told us to maintain present altitude -- not so. The crew made an incorrect assumption as the chart says expect to cross, but as all the other expect to had been given as cross they assumed the same was true of reedr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HVT FLIES BELOW LAST ASSIGNED ALT ON LAX REEDR 3 ARR.

Narrative: JAN/XX/97, CVG-LAX. APPROX 150 MI FROM LAX, PLTS TOLD TO EXPECT REEDR 3 ARR, FOR RWYS 6 AND 7 AT LAX. 120 MI CLRED TO 14000 FT AND CLRED REEDR ARR. STARTED DSCNT FROM FL310 TO 14000 FT. SOCAL TOOK HDOF FROM ZLA. SOCAL ISSUED CLRNC TO CROSS BINDY AT/OR ABOVE 12000 FT AND BASE AT 10000 FT. PLTS COMPLIED WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS. PLTS MISTAKENLY ASSUMED THAT BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER CLRNCS, THAT THEY ALSO SHOULD CROSS REEDR AT/ABOVE 8000 FT. AS DSNDING THROUGH 9400 FT FOR 8000 FT, SOCAL ASKED ALT. AT THIS POINT THE LADY SAID, YOUR LAST ASSIGNED WAS 10000 FT. CAPT SAID 'OK, RETURNING TO 10000 FT.' WHEN PASSING 9500 FT CLBING, SHE THEN TOLD US THAT SHE HAD TOLD US TO MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT -- NOT SO. THE CREW MADE AN INCORRECT ASSUMPTION AS THE CHART SAYS EXPECT TO CROSS, BUT AS ALL THE OTHER EXPECT TO HAD BEEN GIVEN AS CROSS THEY ASSUMED THE SAME WAS TRUE OF REEDR.

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.