Air carrier aircraft unable to make crossing restr in phx airspace.

Attributes
ACN	408960
Time
Date	199807
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	408960
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Center cleared us out of FL270 to cross tonto intersection at 12000 ft and 250 KTS. The FMC showed us 3500 ft above optimum descent profile for the restr. Therefore, I used idle thrust, full speed brakes and a descent rate in excess of 6000 FPM at vmo/mmo. I told the first officer to tell center we would not make the restr. Center told us to contact approach. We did arrive at 12000 ft MSL by tonto but were still doing 320 KTS with speed brakes extended. First officer checked on frequency with our altitude and that we were slowing to 250 KTS. Approach very aggressively demanded our actual airspeed (which was 295 KTS and slowing). The controller's manner caused us to have grave concerns about a violation. I tried to explain that center had kept us high but he did not want to hear it. The center controller could have helped the situation by telling us that airspeed was more important than altitude rather than just passing the buck to approach. The approach controller's manner caused us to start worrying about everything except flying the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT UNABLE TO MAKE XING RESTR IN PHX AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CTR CLRED US OUT OF FL270 TO CROSS TONTO INTXN AT 12000 FT AND 250 KTS. THE FMC SHOWED US 3500 FT ABOVE OPTIMUM DSCNT PROFILE FOR THE RESTR. THEREFORE, I USED IDLE THRUST, FULL SPD BRAKES AND A DSCNT RATE IN EXCESS OF 6000 FPM AT VMO/MMO. I TOLD THE FO TO TELL CTR WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE RESTR. CTR TOLD US TO CONTACT APCH. WE DID ARRIVE AT 12000 FT MSL BY TONTO BUT WERE STILL DOING 320 KTS WITH SPD BRAKES EXTENDED. FO CHKED ON FREQ WITH OUR ALT AND THAT WE WERE SLOWING TO 250 KTS. APCH VERY AGGRESSIVELY DEMANDED OUR ACTUAL AIRSPD (WHICH WAS 295 KTS AND SLOWING). THE CTLR'S MANNER CAUSED US TO HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT A VIOLATION. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT CTR HAD KEPT US HIGH BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO HEAR IT. THE CTR CTLR COULD HAVE HELPED THE SIT BY TELLING US THAT AIRSPD WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALT RATHER THAN JUST PASSING THE BUCK TO APCH. THE APCH CTLR'S MANNER CAUSED US TO START WORRYING ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT FLYING THE ACFT.

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.