B727 flight crew misses crossing restr on dylin 1 arrival.

Attributes
ACN	553160
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dqo.vortac
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : dylin 1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 6373 flight time type : 1388
ASRS Report	553160
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were beginning the dylin 1 arrival. All of a sudden, center controller told us to descend via the STAR. I and my first officer both had our STAR plates out and had already reviewed it. I confirmed my first step-down and determined we were behind profile, so I immediately started a descent. We advised center of our descent. My first officer and I double- and triplechked the STAR and discussed it. At FL180 the center advised we were supposed to have crossed dupont VOR at FL220, we crossed dupont at FL180. The center told us 'this time don't worry about it, it's no big deal.' he said this twice. There was no traffic conflict. We were TCASII equipped and there was no TA or RA. The center also said 'this dupont restr is on the other side of the chart, and I see how you missed it.' (he said something to this effect.) I and obviously the controller am concerned/aware about the poor construction of the STAR chart. On the right side there are big boxes/paragraphs with solid lines depicting the step-downs. Way on the other side of the chart was the first step-down for dupont VOR in a discrete area on the chart. The way the chart is laid out caused me and my first officer to train our eyes on the right side of the chart for step-downs. We had also been told to keep our speed at 310 KTS or greater. This also was a cause of the problem along with being given the 'descend via STAR' clearance at the last possible moment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC MISSES XING RESTR ON DYLIN 1 ARR.

Narrative: WE WERE BEGINNING THE DYLIN 1 ARR. ALL OF A SUDDEN, CTR CTLR TOLD US TO DSND VIA THE STAR. I AND MY FO BOTH HAD OUR STAR PLATES OUT AND HAD ALREADY REVIEWED IT. I CONFIRMED MY FIRST STEP-DOWN AND DETERMINED WE WERE BEHIND PROFILE, SO I IMMEDIATELY STARTED A DSCNT. WE ADVISED CTR OF OUR DSCNT. MY FO AND I DOUBLE- AND TRIPLECHKED THE STAR AND DISCUSSED IT. AT FL180 THE CTR ADVISED WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE CROSSED DUPONT VOR AT FL220, WE CROSSED DUPONT AT FL180. THE CTR TOLD US 'THIS TIME DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT'S NO BIG DEAL.' HE SAID THIS TWICE. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. WE WERE TCASII EQUIPPED AND THERE WAS NO TA OR RA. THE CTR ALSO SAID 'THIS DUPONT RESTR IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHART, AND I SEE HOW YOU MISSED IT.' (HE SAID SOMETHING TO THIS EFFECT.) I AND OBVIOUSLY THE CTLR AM CONCERNED/AWARE ABOUT THE POOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE STAR CHART. ON THE R SIDE THERE ARE BIG BOXES/PARAGRAPHS WITH SOLID LINES DEPICTING THE STEP-DOWNS. WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHART WAS THE FIRST STEP-DOWN FOR DUPONT VOR IN A DISCRETE AREA ON THE CHART. THE WAY THE CHART IS LAID OUT CAUSED ME AND MY FO TO TRAIN OUR EYES ON THE R SIDE OF THE CHART FOR STEP-DOWNS. WE HAD ALSO BEEN TOLD TO KEEP OUR SPD AT 310 KTS OR GREATER. THIS ALSO WAS A CAUSE OF THE PROB ALONG WITH BEING GIVEN THE 'DSND VIA STAR' CLRNC AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT.

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.