An S80 flight crew leaves their assigned altitude on a STAR arrival procedure prematurely.

Attributes
ACN	404531
Time
Date	199806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jli
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22500 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	404531
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	404530
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Location: jli/300 degree radial/10 NM. We were level at FL240 at julian VOR, and given clearance to the paradise 2 arrival. I asked the captain if we were cleared to descend to 16000 ft and he responded we were cleared the arrival, so yes, cleared to descend. We were slowed to 250 KTS so we needed to descend in order to make altitude restr at 31 DME north. When we were out of FL225, the controller asked our altitude. The captain response was we were cleared the paradise 2 arrival, and we were descending. Another controller stated, 'you were on an arrival, not a profile descent, and should have maintained FL240 until cleared otherwise.' he then said, 'no harm, no foul.' we were later switched off frequency and descended into lax. Supplemental information from acn 404530: crew began descent to cross amigo at 16000 ft, at FL230 ZLA cleared flight to cross amigo at 16000 ft and asked what last altitude was. We said FL240 and on PDZ2 arrival. Center said there was no conflict, but amigo was not part of profile descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN S80 FLC LEAVES THEIR ASSIGNED ALT ON A STAR ARR PROC PREMATURELY.

Narrative: LOCATION: JLI/300 DEG RADIAL/10 NM. WE WERE LEVEL AT FL240 AT JULIAN VOR, AND GIVEN CLRNC TO THE PARADISE 2 ARR. I ASKED THE CAPT IF WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 16000 FT AND HE RESPONDED WE WERE CLRED THE ARR, SO YES, CLRED TO DSND. WE WERE SLOWED TO 250 KTS SO WE NEEDED TO DSND IN ORDER TO MAKE ALT RESTR AT 31 DME N. WHEN WE WERE OUT OF FL225, THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. THE CAPT RESPONSE WAS WE WERE CLRED THE PARADISE 2 ARR, AND WE WERE DSNDING. ANOTHER CTLR STATED, 'YOU WERE ON AN ARR, NOT A PROFILE DSCNT, AND SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED FL240 UNTIL CLRED OTHERWISE.' HE THEN SAID, 'NO HARM, NO FOUL.' WE WERE LATER SWITCHED OFF FREQ AND DSNDED INTO LAX. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 404530: CREW BEGAN DSCNT TO CROSS AMIGO AT 16000 FT, AT FL230 ZLA CLRED FLT TO CROSS AMIGO AT 16000 FT AND ASKED WHAT LAST ALT WAS. WE SAID FL240 AND ON PDZ2 ARR. CTR SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, BUT AMIGO WAS NOT PART OF PROFILE 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.