Narrative:

Arriving into den from the west, we were proceeding direct den when we received clearance to den via tomsn 1 arrival, kremmling transition. Approaching kremmling VOR, we were then assigned a heading of approximately 060-070 degrees to intercept fqf 306 degree radial, cross tomsn intersection at FL190. (This heading essentially cut off or reduced our mileage to be flown to tomsn intersection by approximately 60 mi.) I estimate we crossed tomsn intersection 800-1000 ft high and a rate of descent of about 5500 FPM. The controller never asked us about our altitude and he handed us off to den approach control about 1-2 mins later. When we checked in with den approach control we were asked what our altitude was. By then we were already level at FL190, but the controller's readout he said showed us at FL201. I told him we were level at FL190, but that our rate of descent had been in excess of 5000 FPM. (Perhaps accounting for the lag in his readout.) this seemed to satisfy and no further inquiries followed, and he cheerfully passed us to the next controller. An uneventful approach and landing followed. We were high at tomsn intersection because we had planned to use the full mileage of the kremmling transition for our descent. Our arrival route was now shortened by approximately 60 mi, which put us behind in our descent.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC IN AN LGT ACFT CROSSED A STAR INTXN TOO HIGH WHEN THE CTLR CLRED THEM DIRECT TO THE INTXN, A RTE THAT WAS 60 MI SHORTER THAN PLANNED.

Narrative: ARRIVING INTO DEN FROM THE W, WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT DEN WHEN WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO DEN VIA TOMSN 1 ARR, KREMMLING TRANSITION. APCHING KREMMLING VOR, WE WERE THEN ASSIGNED A HDG OF APPROX 060-070 DEGS TO INTERCEPT FQF 306 DEG RADIAL, CROSS TOMSN INTXN AT FL190. (THIS HDG ESSENTIALLY CUT OFF OR REDUCED OUR MILEAGE TO BE FLOWN TO TOMSN INTXN BY APPROX 60 MI.) I ESTIMATE WE CROSSED TOMSN INTXN 800-1000 FT HIGH AND A RATE OF DSCNT OF ABOUT 5500 FPM. THE CTLR NEVER ASKED US ABOUT OUR ALT AND HE HANDED US OFF TO DEN APCH CTL ABOUT 1-2 MINS LATER. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH DEN APCH CTL WE WERE ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. BY THEN WE WERE ALREADY LEVEL AT FL190, BUT THE CTLR'S READOUT HE SAID SHOWED US AT FL201. I TOLD HIM WE WERE LEVEL AT FL190, BUT THAT OUR RATE OF DSCNT HAD BEEN IN EXCESS OF 5000 FPM. (PERHAPS ACCOUNTING FOR THE LAG IN HIS READOUT.) THIS SEEMED TO SATISFY AND NO FURTHER INQUIRIES FOLLOWED, AND HE CHEERFULLY PASSED US TO THE NEXT CTLR. AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG FOLLOWED. WE WERE HIGH AT TOMSN INTXN BECAUSE WE HAD PLANNED TO USE THE FULL MILEAGE OF THE KREMMLING TRANSITION FOR OUR DSCNT. OUR ARR RTE WAS NOW SHORTENED BY APPROX 60 MI, WHICH PUT US BEHIND IN OUR DSCNT.

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.