Narrative:

While flying from phx-lax I had set up the automation in our A319 to fly a 'managed' descent profile on the paradise four arrival (pdz.PDZ4) to lax. Before arriving over pdz, we were cleared 'direct to mitts intersection, maintain 1200 ft.' the aircraft was then put into an open descent (idle power), and we leveled at 12000 ft MSL. Shortly after the leveloff, we were cleared, 'descend to 10000 ft, after mitts, cleared for the ILS runway 24R approach.' we descended to 10000 ft for the mitts restr. I then selected 8000 ft in the FCU altitude window for 'denay,' the first stepdown fix on the ILS runway 24R approach. While descending to 8000 ft, the aircraft flew below 9000 ft prior to crossing 'dunzl,' and intermediate crossing fix on the pdz.PDZ4 arrival. On the pdz.PDZ4 arrival, there was one additional fix ('dunzl'), located between mitts and denay, that at first didn't appear to have a crossing restr. This later proved to be an incorrect observation on my part. The pdz.PDZ4 arrival had numerous stepdown fixes -- most of them idented with large outlined boxes, arrows, and bold type to indicate the crossing altitude and/or restrs. In the case of 'dunzl,' the +9000 ft crossing restr is not indicated by a large, highly visible box, but rather a footnote with a button-type indicator (ie '1' or '2'). Fatigue may have played a role in my not observing this particular footnote, but in any case, my lack of vigilance caused me to cross the intersection 400-500 ft below the published minimum. Complacency and differing charting symbology made the crossing restr(south) less plain and clearly understood. ATC did not question or query our altitude at any time during the arrival and approach. It would be nice (in my opinion), if commercial chart would do away with the use of button-type footnotes to indicate crossing restrs and other minima.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CREW, DSNDING INTO LAX, OVERSHOT A PUBLISHED STAR ALT, MISSING A XING RESTR.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING FROM PHX-LAX I HAD SET UP THE AUTOMATION IN OUR A319 TO FLY A 'MANAGED' DSCNT PROFILE ON THE PARADISE FOUR ARR (PDZ.PDZ4) TO LAX. BEFORE ARRIVING OVER PDZ, WE WERE CLRED 'DIRECT TO MITTS INTXN, MAINTAIN 1200 FT.' THE ACFT WAS THEN PUT INTO AN OPEN DSCNT (IDLE PWR), AND WE LEVELED AT 12000 FT MSL. SHORTLY AFTER THE LEVELOFF, WE WERE CLRED, 'DSND TO 10000 FT, AFTER MITTS, CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 24R APCH.' WE DSNDED TO 10000 FT FOR THE MITTS RESTR. I THEN SELECTED 8000 FT IN THE FCU ALT WINDOW FOR 'DENAY,' THE FIRST STEPDOWN FIX ON THE ILS RWY 24R APCH. WHILE DSNDING TO 8000 FT, THE ACFT FLEW BELOW 9000 FT PRIOR TO XING 'DUNZL,' AND INTERMEDIATE XING FIX ON THE PDZ.PDZ4 ARR. ON THE PDZ.PDZ4 ARR, THERE WAS ONE ADDITIONAL FIX ('DUNZL'), LOCATED BTWN MITTS AND DENAY, THAT AT FIRST DIDN'T APPEAR TO HAVE A XING RESTR. THIS LATER PROVED TO BE AN INCORRECT OBSERVATION ON MY PART. THE PDZ.PDZ4 ARR HAD NUMEROUS STEPDOWN FIXES -- MOST OF THEM IDENTED WITH LARGE OUTLINED BOXES, ARROWS, AND BOLD TYPE TO INDICATE THE XING ALT AND/OR RESTRS. IN THE CASE OF 'DUNZL,' THE +9000 FT XING RESTR IS NOT INDICATED BY A LARGE, HIGHLY VISIBLE BOX, BUT RATHER A FOOTNOTE WITH A BUTTON-TYPE INDICATOR (IE '1' OR '2'). FATIGUE MAY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN MY NOT OBSERVING THIS PARTICULAR FOOTNOTE, BUT IN ANY CASE, MY LACK OF VIGILANCE CAUSED ME TO CROSS THE INTXN 400-500 FT BELOW THE PUBLISHED MINIMUM. COMPLACENCY AND DIFFERING CHARTING SYMBOLOGY MADE THE XING RESTR(S) LESS PLAIN AND CLRLY UNDERSTOOD. ATC DID NOT QUESTION OR QUERY OUR ALT AT ANY TIME DURING THE ARR AND APCH. IT WOULD BE NICE (IN MY OPINION), IF COMMERCIAL CHART WOULD DO AWAY WITH THE USE OF BUTTON-TYPE FOOTNOTES TO INDICATE XING RESTRS AND OTHER MINIMA.

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.