Narrative:

On apr sun 1997, while captain flying, phx-sna, we were cleared to proceed to sna via FMS eastside one arrival, after crossing psp at 14000 ft, we started descent to 7000 ft at kayoh. We understood eastside one clearance to include 'cleared to descend' proviso of FMS arrival. While on ZLA frequency 134.0, controller inquired our presence at 13300 ft and told us to level off at 13000 ft. No further contradiction noted. I called ZLA and discussed at length the contradictory situation with a controller supervisor. Much discussion revolved around the fact that the eastside one arrival is the only FMS arrival known to this aviator to retain descent clearance after being cleared for FMS approach. Certainly, a situation for confusion when compared to most, if not all other FMS approachs I'm familiar with. The controller supervisor, noted a 'no harm, no file' positive on the FAA's part, since no conflict was involved. Discovery of this singular deviation in what is accepted FMS arrival procedures leaves a wide gap in the airspace safety net. Alignment of the descent procedures of the eastside one FMS arrival should be aligned more closely with such FMS arrs as the civet arrival at lax. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this B737-300 captain said that upon reviewing the FMS STAR chart, he saw the note about maintaining the last assigned altitude until passing kayoh, however, he still thinks that the STAR is misleading and its format confusing. He said that he and the first officer were aware of the difficulty of descending on the profile beyond kayoh and they did not want to cross above that intersection's altitude (now 7000 ft and 190 KTS) and airspeed. The flight crew started their descent below 14000 ft after crossing bands with the post kayoh problem in mind, he repeated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC OF A B737-300 DSNDS BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR CORRECTS THEM AND ASSIGNS THEM A LOWER ALT.

Narrative: ON APR SUN 1997, WHILE CAPT FLYING, PHX-SNA, WE WERE CLRED TO PROCEED TO SNA VIA FMS EASTSIDE ONE ARR, AFTER XING PSP AT 14000 FT, WE STARTED DSCNT TO 7000 FT AT KAYOH. WE UNDERSTOOD EASTSIDE ONE CLRNC TO INCLUDE 'CLRED TO DSND' PROVISO OF FMS ARR. WHILE ON ZLA FREQ 134.0, CTLR INQUIRED OUR PRESENCE AT 13300 FT AND TOLD US TO LEVEL OFF AT 13000 FT. NO FURTHER CONTRADICTION NOTED. I CALLED ZLA AND DISCUSSED AT LENGTH THE CONTRADICTORY SIT WITH A CTLR SUPVR. MUCH DISCUSSION REVOLVED AROUND THE FACT THAT THE EASTSIDE ONE ARR IS THE ONLY FMS ARR KNOWN TO THIS AVIATOR TO RETAIN DSCNT CLRNC AFTER BEING CLRED FOR FMS APCH. CERTAINLY, A SIT FOR CONFUSION WHEN COMPARED TO MOST, IF NOT ALL OTHER FMS APCHS I'M FAMILIAR WITH. THE CTLR SUPVR, NOTED A 'NO HARM, NO FILE' POSITIVE ON THE FAA'S PART, SINCE NO CONFLICT WAS INVOLVED. DISCOVERY OF THIS SINGULAR DEV IN WHAT IS ACCEPTED FMS ARR PROCS LEAVES A WIDE GAP IN THE AIRSPACE SAFETY NET. ALIGNMENT OF THE DSCNT PROCS OF THE EASTSIDE ONE FMS ARR SHOULD BE ALIGNED MORE CLOSELY WITH SUCH FMS ARRS AS THE CIVET ARR AT LAX. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS B737-300 CAPT SAID THAT UPON REVIEWING THE FMS STAR CHART, HE SAW THE NOTE ABOUT MAINTAINING THE LAST ASSIGNED ALT UNTIL PASSING KAYOH, HOWEVER, HE STILL THINKS THAT THE STAR IS MISLEADING AND ITS FORMAT CONFUSING. HE SAID THAT HE AND THE FO WERE AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF DSNDING ON THE PROFILE BEYOND KAYOH AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO CROSS ABOVE THAT INTXN'S ALT (NOW 7000 FT AND 190 KTS) AND AIRSPD. THE FLC STARTED THEIR DSCNT BELOW 14000 FT AFTER XING BANDS WITH THE POST KAYOH PROB IN MIND, HE REPEATED.

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.