Narrative:

I was the captain on an air carrier flight, a B737 en route from boi to slc. We were descending on the bear arrival with initial clearance from FL370 to FL260. We were on a southerly heading, working ZLC frequency 127.70. During this descent, the center controller reclred us on 'the bear arrival landing south.' this arrival, on the commercial chart, displays a landing south box with an (expect) crossing altitude of 15000 ft. Most display boxes with similar shading and borders, going into slc, contain mandatory crossing restrs and my first officer and myself did not catch the 'expect' wording on this arrival. Hence, believing our bear clearance to be a mandatory crossing altitude, we continued our descent through FL260. Approaching FL250 the controller questioned our altitude, whereupon a very brief discussion revealed our error. Shortly thereafter we were reclred to cross bear at 15000 ft and 250 KTS. Naturally, we were concerned and embarrassed at our misunderstanding, apologized and asked for a phone number to contact upon our arrival. The controller said, 'no number was necessary and there was no problem.' he said, 'this same problem occurs at least 3 times a week!' he also told us that this was a confusing box on the approach plate and that it should not be there. Also, he told us that they have been trying to get it removed and have been unable to do so! In conclusion, the error is still ours. However, removing the confusing box, ie, same shading, shape, etc, for an expect versus a restr altitude, I believe would be helpful to all of us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC MISINTERPRETS THEIR CLRNC AND DSNDS BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DURING A STAR PROC. THE CTLR CORRECTS THEM. THE FLC COMPLAINS ABOUT THE STAR'S 'EXPECT ALT' BOXES.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON AN ACR FLT, A B737 ENRTE FROM BOI TO SLC. WE WERE DSNDING ON THE BEAR ARR WITH INITIAL CLRNC FROM FL370 TO FL260. WE WERE ON A SOUTHERLY HDG, WORKING ZLC FREQ 127.70. DURING THIS DSCNT, THE CTR CTLR RECLRED US ON 'THE BEAR ARR LNDG S.' THIS ARR, ON THE COMMERCIAL CHART, DISPLAYS A LNDG S BOX WITH AN (EXPECT) XING ALT OF 15000 FT. MOST DISPLAY BOXES WITH SIMILAR SHADING AND BORDERS, GOING INTO SLC, CONTAIN MANDATORY XING RESTRS AND MY FO AND MYSELF DID NOT CATCH THE 'EXPECT' WORDING ON THIS ARR. HENCE, BELIEVING OUR BEAR CLRNC TO BE A MANDATORY XING ALT, WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT THROUGH FL260. APCHING FL250 THE CTLR QUESTIONED OUR ALT, WHEREUPON A VERY BRIEF DISCUSSION REVEALED OUR ERROR. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE RECLRED TO CROSS BEAR AT 15000 FT AND 250 KTS. NATURALLY, WE WERE CONCERNED AND EMBARRASSED AT OUR MISUNDERSTANDING, APOLOGIZED AND ASKED FOR A PHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT UPON OUR ARR. THE CTLR SAID, 'NO NUMBER WAS NECESSARY AND THERE WAS NO PROB.' HE SAID, 'THIS SAME PROB OCCURS AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WK!' HE ALSO TOLD US THAT THIS WAS A CONFUSING BOX ON THE APCH PLATE AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE THERE. ALSO, HE TOLD US THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT REMOVED AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO SO! IN CONCLUSION, THE ERROR IS STILL OURS. HOWEVER, REMOVING THE CONFUSING BOX, IE, SAME SHADING, SHAPE, ETC, FOR AN EXPECT VERSUS A RESTR ALT, I BELIEVE WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ALL OF US.

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.