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A pct controller described an arrival for dca that was issued a 'descend via' the eldee STAR that ended with a missed crossing restriction.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 848558 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200908 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | DCA.TRACON |
| State Reference | DC |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Route In Use | STAR ELDEE 4 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Approach |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Radar 22 Flight Crew Total 160 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
Air carrier inbound to dca was on the wzrrd 2 arrival approximately ten miles west of doccs intersection. On initial contact; I cleared the aircraft on the eldee 4. Then descend via the eldee 4. The eldee 4 is an RNAV arrival with vertical navigation. Approximately over ldn the aircraft appeared to have started their descent. I told them to check their altitude and gave the altimeter. I observed the aircraft descend below 14;300 before climbing again to 15;000. The crew upon the 'check your altitude' responded; 'you told us to descend via.' this is true; however the descent for the arrival began 9 miles from ldn. This is a pervasive problem at the potomac TRACON and has been brought to the attention of local and national management. They apparently choose to wait for something catastrophic to happen before recognizing and fixing this problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PCT Controller described an arrival for DCA that was issued a 'descend via' the ELDEE STAR that ended with a missed crossing restriction.
Narrative: Air carrier inbound to DCA was on the WZRRD 2 arrival approximately ten miles west of DOCCS intersection. On initial contact; I cleared the aircraft on the ELDEE 4. Then descend via the ELDEE 4. The ELDEE 4 is an RNAV arrival with vertical navigation. Approximately over LDN the aircraft appeared to have started their descent. I told them to check their altitude and gave the altimeter. I observed the aircraft descend below 14;300 before climbing again to 15;000. The crew upon the 'check your altitude' responded; 'You told us to descend via.' This is true; however the descent for the arrival began 9 miles from LDN. This is a pervasive problem at the Potomac TRACON and has been brought to the attention of local and national management. They apparently choose to wait for something catastrophic to happen before recognizing and fixing this problem.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.