An air carrier flight crosses their assigned fix about 500 ft too high when ATC had issued a late clearance near sfo, ca.

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Attributes
ACN	459110
Time
Date	200001
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : lozit
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : golden gate
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	459110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a late descent by oak to cross lozit at 11000 ft, no speed restr. As soon as we started down, we could see we would be close, and informed ATC. They gave us 30 degrees right, but we came back with 'looks like we will make it now,' so ATC told us to continue to lozit to cross at 11000 ft. Bad decision on my part, as we were about 1/2 - 3/4 mi late on arrival to 11000 ft. I later asked approach control if this was a problem and told no problem at all. There was a lot of radio chatter at the time and we were having a hard time getting a word in to oak, which added to the problem. Bottom line is we would have been a lot better off just taking the 30 degree vector. Lesson learned! I'm afraid we just got too wrapped up in the 'we can do it' attitude and rushed into a bad setup. Oak was late issuing our descent clearance, but once we determined extraordinary means would be necessary to get down in time, we should have said so and just stayed on the vector!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLT CROSSES THEIR ASSIGNED FIX ABOUT 500 FT TOO HIGH WHEN ATC HAD ISSUED A LATE CLRNC NEAR SFO, CA.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A LATE DSCNT BY OAK TO CROSS LOZIT AT 11000 FT, NO SPD RESTR. AS SOON AS WE STARTED DOWN, WE COULD SEE WE WOULD BE CLOSE, AND INFORMED ATC. THEY GAVE US 30 DEGS R, BUT WE CAME BACK WITH 'LOOKS LIKE WE WILL MAKE IT NOW,' SO ATC TOLD US TO CONTINUE TO LOZIT TO CROSS AT 11000 FT. BAD DECISION ON MY PART, AS WE WERE ABOUT 1/2 - 3/4 MI LATE ON ARR TO 11000 FT. I LATER ASKED APCH CTL IF THIS WAS A PROB AND TOLD NO PROB AT ALL. THERE WAS A LOT OF RADIO CHATTER AT THE TIME AND WE WERE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING A WORD IN TO OAK, WHICH ADDED TO THE PROB. BOTTOM LINE IS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT BETTER OFF JUST TAKING THE 30 DEG VECTOR. LESSON LEARNED! I'M AFRAID WE JUST GOT TOO WRAPPED UP IN THE 'WE CAN DO IT' ATTITUDE AND RUSHED INTO A BAD SETUP. OAK WAS LATE ISSUING OUR DSCNT CLRNC, BUT ONCE WE DETERMINED EXTRAORDINARY MEANS WOULD BE NECESSARY TO GET DOWN IN TIME, WE SHOULD HAVE SAID SO AND JUST STAYED ON THE VECTOR!

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.