Narrative:

While flying the ene 4 arrival, new york approach control gave me a crossing restr to cross a point 40 mi north of CCC at 12000 ft. During this descent, I was reclred by the ATC controller with the following vernacular: 'go direct to rober intersection, comply with the restr.' that is all the verbiage he used. I then descended to cross rober intersection at 9000 ft and 250 KTS. Once I was level at 9000 ft, the controller queried us why we were level at 9000 ft and not at 12000 ft. We responded that we were given the above cited clearance. We further stated that we followed ene 4 written paper plate directive. He then acknowledged this fact quickly and switched us to another frequency and controller. At no time did we experience a TCASII traffic conflict RA, nor did the controller warn us of same.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NONSTANDARD N90 CLRNC PHRASEOLOGY RESULTS IN A B777 FLT CREW EXECUTING OTHER THAN EXPECTED BY THE CTLR.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING THE ENE 4 ARR, NEW YORK APCH CTL GAVE ME A XING RESTR TO CROSS A POINT 40 MI N OF CCC AT 12000 FT. DURING THIS DSCNT, I WAS RECLRED BY THE ATC CTLR WITH THE FOLLOWING VERNACULAR: 'GO DIRECT TO ROBER INTXN, COMPLY WITH THE RESTR.' THAT IS ALL THE VERBIAGE HE USED. I THEN DSNDED TO CROSS ROBER INTXN AT 9000 FT AND 250 KTS. ONCE I WAS LEVEL AT 9000 FT, THE CTLR QUERIED US WHY WE WERE LEVEL AT 9000 FT AND NOT AT 12000 FT. WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE ABOVE CITED CLRNC. WE FURTHER STATED THAT WE FOLLOWED ENE 4 WRITTEN PAPER PLATE DIRECTIVE. HE THEN ACKNOWLEDGED THIS FACT QUICKLY AND SWITCHED US TO ANOTHER FREQ AND CTLR. AT NO TIME DID WE EXPERIENCE A TCASII TFC CONFLICT RA, NOR DID THE CTLR WARN US OF SAME.

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.