Narrative:

Flight was cleared to 'descend via the OLM3 arrival,' btg transition. Approximately 10 NM south of the olm VOR, ATC issued a vector for us to leave the arrival for traffic separation. ATC gave no further altitude clearance with vector instructions. ATC then reclred us to fly direct olm VOR, OLM3 arrival, and to 'descend via the OLM3 arrival.' we crossed abeam the olm VOR (through the VOR's 'zone of confusion') in a normal descent profile to cross arvad intersection at 12000 ft MSL. Crew noted that while turning abeam olm VOR, while rejoining the OLM3, that the aircraft was below the crossing altitude for a south landing at sea, our destination, but was on a descent profile to cross arvad at 12000 ft MSL. Flight continued for a normal landing at sea. This occurrence seemed to be caused by a coordination problem between ourselves and ATC in regards to the altitude clearance, compounded by the timing of the vector, initialization of the descent, and the proximity of the VOR. To prevent a reoccurrence: 1) when being vectored off any STAR with no subsequent altitude clearance, flight crew must query ATC immediately for clarification. 2) when issuing a vector to an airplane that is flying a STAR and is cleared to 'descend via the...arrival,' ATC should issue a new altitude clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW, DSNDING INTO SEA OVERSHOT A STAR RESTR.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED TO 'DSND VIA THE OLM3 ARR,' BTG TRANSITION. APPROX 10 NM S OF THE OLM VOR, ATC ISSUED A VECTOR FOR US TO LEAVE THE ARR FOR TFC SEPARATION. ATC GAVE NO FURTHER ALT CLRNC WITH VECTOR INSTRUCTIONS. ATC THEN RECLRED US TO FLY DIRECT OLM VOR, OLM3 ARR, AND TO 'DSND VIA THE OLM3 ARR.' WE CROSSED ABEAM THE OLM VOR (THROUGH THE VOR'S 'ZONE OF CONFUSION') IN A NORMAL DSCNT PROFILE TO CROSS ARVAD INTXN AT 12000 FT MSL. CREW NOTED THAT WHILE TURNING ABEAM OLM VOR, WHILE REJOINING THE OLM3, THAT THE ACFT WAS BELOW THE XING ALT FOR A S LNDG AT SEA, OUR DEST, BUT WAS ON A DSCNT PROFILE TO CROSS ARVAD AT 12000 FT MSL. FLT CONTINUED FOR A NORMAL LNDG AT SEA. THIS OCCURRENCE SEEMED TO BE CAUSED BY A COORD PROB BTWN OURSELVES AND ATC IN REGARDS TO THE ALT CLRNC, COMPOUNDED BY THE TIMING OF THE VECTOR, INITIALIZATION OF THE DSCNT, AND THE PROX OF THE VOR. TO PREVENT A REOCCURRENCE: 1) WHEN BEING VECTORED OFF ANY STAR WITH NO SUBSEQUENT ALT CLRNC, FLC MUST QUERY ATC IMMEDIATELY FOR CLARIFICATION. 2) WHEN ISSUING A VECTOR TO AN AIRPLANE THAT IS FLYING A STAR AND IS CLRED TO 'DSND VIA THE...ARR,' ATC SHOULD ISSUE A NEW ALT CLRNC.

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.