Late descent clearance is accepted and crossing restr is not met on arrival to lax, ca.

Attributes
ACN	480972
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pdz.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : pdz.3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 18500
ASRS Report	480972
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Inbound to lax on the pdz 3 arrival, we were given konzl at 17000 ft. Crossing konzl we were given a frequency change that was garbled/walked on. I called back 3 times before the controller would confirm the frequency. Switching over, we were cleared via the profile descent. By now the trtle crossing restr was coming up and we were behind the descent profile. The first officer flying initiated the descent, but I had to come on the yoke and push over aggressively to try to make the trtle restr at 16000 ft MSL. I estimate we were 200-300 ft high passing trtle. There were 2 distinct factors that combined to lead to the problem. 1) communications. Overall radio communications via ATC has deteriorated to the point I sincerely feel is a negative safety factor. The 3 attempts to clarify the proper frequency cost 3-5 NM, which led to the late clearance for the profile descent. We had approximately 3 M to make the descent after receiving the descent clearance. 2) although the FMC was programmed for the crossing restr properly, the first officer had no sense of urgency or position awareness during the descent initiation. He had posted the latest change for the pdz 3 arrival which showed trtle at or above 16000 ft MSL. However, that change was not effective for another 8 days. I had the properly dated chart out to monitor the arrival, but due to working the radio, I was 1-2 mi slow to realize the first officer wasn't following the VNAV information (trtle at 16000 ft MSL) due to the at or above modification in the pdz 4 arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE DSCNT CLRNC IS ACCEPTED AND XING RESTR IS NOT MET ON ARR TO LAX, CA.

Narrative: INBOUND TO LAX ON THE PDZ 3 ARR, WE WERE GIVEN KONZL AT 17000 FT. XING KONZL WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE THAT WAS GARBLED/WALKED ON. I CALLED BACK 3 TIMES BEFORE THE CTLR WOULD CONFIRM THE FREQ. SWITCHING OVER, WE WERE CLRED VIA THE PROFILE DSCNT. BY NOW THE TRTLE XING RESTR WAS COMING UP AND WE WERE BEHIND THE DSCNT PROFILE. THE FO FLYING INITIATED THE DSCNT, BUT I HAD TO COME ON THE YOKE AND PUSH OVER AGGRESSIVELY TO TRY TO MAKE THE TRTLE RESTR AT 16000 FT MSL. I ESTIMATE WE WERE 200-300 FT HIGH PASSING TRTLE. THERE WERE 2 DISTINCT FACTORS THAT COMBINED TO LEAD TO THE PROB. 1) COMS. OVERALL RADIO COMS VIA ATC HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT I SINCERELY FEEL IS A NEGATIVE SAFETY FACTOR. THE 3 ATTEMPTS TO CLARIFY THE PROPER FREQ COST 3-5 NM, WHICH LED TO THE LATE CLRNC FOR THE PROFILE DSCNT. WE HAD APPROX 3 M TO MAKE THE DSCNT AFTER RECEIVING THE DSCNT CLRNC. 2) ALTHOUGH THE FMC WAS PROGRAMMED FOR THE XING RESTR PROPERLY, THE FO HAD NO SENSE OF URGENCY OR POS AWARENESS DURING THE DSCNT INITIATION. HE HAD POSTED THE LATEST CHANGE FOR THE PDZ 3 ARR WHICH SHOWED TRTLE AT OR ABOVE 16000 FT MSL. HOWEVER, THAT CHANGE WAS NOT EFFECTIVE FOR ANOTHER 8 DAYS. I HAD THE PROPERLY DATED CHART OUT TO MONITOR THE ARR, BUT DUE TO WORKING THE RADIO, I WAS 1-2 MI SLOW TO REALIZE THE FO WASN'T FOLLOWING THE VNAV INFO (TRTLE AT 16000 FT MSL) DUE TO THE AT OR ABOVE MODIFICATION IN THE PDZ 4 ARR.

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.