Narrative:

During the arrival into lax, while on the civet 4 arrival, we were level at FL210 just outside the civet fix. We were issued a descent to cross civet at or above 14000 ft, then cleared to descend via the civet 4. Our clearance was issued too late for us to cross civet below 17000 ft, so I (PNF) confirmed with ATC that we did not have to cross civet below 17000 ft. Socal confirmed this and pointed out traffic at our 11 O'clock position to follow to the airport (we were approximately 50 NM from lax). Also, socal issued a speed reduction to 220 KTS, followed by a second speed restr. While looking for the traffic and slowing, we were level at 14000 ft. Socal prompted us 3 times to follow this traffic to the airport. The PF initiated the descent out of 14000 ft just prior to bremr intersection while both of us were looking for this traffic. In the descent, we crossed arnes at approximately 12500 ft (the restr at barnes is at or below 11000 ft at or above 10000 ft). The distraction of socal repeatedly requesting for us to follow this traffic visually for 50 NM to the airport while flying the profile, configuring the aircraft for the speed restr was the primary reason for this deviation. There is no need for crews to acquire and track aircraft visually for 50 NM during a very busy approach in a radar environment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: XING RESTR NOT MET ON CIVET 4 ARR TO LAX. A COMPLAINT OF LATE CLRNC RESTR AND USE OF VISUAL SEPARATION SO FAR FROM THE ARPT.

Narrative: DURING THE ARR INTO LAX, WHILE ON THE CIVET 4 ARR, WE WERE LEVEL AT FL210 JUST OUTSIDE THE CIVET FIX. WE WERE ISSUED A DSCNT TO CROSS CIVET AT OR ABOVE 14000 FT, THEN CLRED TO DSND VIA THE CIVET 4. OUR CLRNC WAS ISSUED TOO LATE FOR US TO CROSS CIVET BELOW 17000 FT, SO I (PNF) CONFIRMED WITH ATC THAT WE DID NOT HAVE TO CROSS CIVET BELOW 17000 FT. SOCAL CONFIRMED THIS AND POINTED OUT TFC AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS TO FOLLOW TO THE ARPT (WE WERE APPROX 50 NM FROM LAX). ALSO, SOCAL ISSUED A SPD REDUCTION TO 220 KTS, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND SPD RESTR. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE TFC AND SLOWING, WE WERE LEVEL AT 14000 FT. SOCAL PROMPTED US 3 TIMES TO FOLLOW THIS TFC TO THE ARPT. THE PF INITIATED THE DSCNT OUT OF 14000 FT JUST PRIOR TO BREMR INTXN WHILE BOTH OF US WERE LOOKING FOR THIS TFC. IN THE DSCNT, WE CROSSED ARNES AT APPROX 12500 FT (THE RESTR AT BARNES IS AT OR BELOW 11000 FT AT OR ABOVE 10000 FT). THE DISTR OF SOCAL REPEATEDLY REQUESTING FOR US TO FOLLOW THIS TFC VISUALLY FOR 50 NM TO THE ARPT WHILE FLYING THE PROFILE, CONFIGURING THE ACFT FOR THE SPD RESTR WAS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS DEV. THERE IS NO NEED FOR CREWS TO ACQUIRE AND TRACK ACFT VISUALLY FOR 50 NM DURING A VERY BUSY APCH IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT.

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.