Narrative:

We were approaching sllp; which could very well be the site of an accident. Experienced crews misread the 10-2 page and try to descend into the mountains. The experienced co-pilots are always catching new captains making that mistake and complaining. The flight department has a policy that any international co-pilot can fly to sllp/lpb; regardless of whether they've been even to high altitude airports. Well it happened again; albeit on an airway that we rarely use. I was back on my break. When I came back from my break; the relief pilot (been to lpb before; but it's been years) had programmed the FMC with crossing restrictions. (For the record there are no crossing restrictions on the arrival and therein lies the problem). We were on UR559 coming over sibus. He had programmed the FMC to cross 40 miles out at FL220 and cross 30 miles out at FL180. This is not what the chart says. It says to descend at these points to the appropriate altitude not cross these at those altitudes. Crossing these points at these altitudes will put you right in the mountains. At the very least; it's an ATC violation. I caught the mistake and corrected it before descent and no harm was done. Additionally; on this airway (UR559) the mountains aren't quite as high as the most used airway; but you could get close enough to the mountains. Which brings me to the next paragraph. Most of the time we use UL309 over elani. The 10-2 chart clearly says; 'descend to FL220 at elani and descend to 18000 ft at 15 miles out.' the problem is that the inexperienced guys are programming to cross elani at FL220 and cross 15 miles out at 18000 ft. There is an almost 20000 ft peak between these points. (Offset slightly left of the airway). Programming the FMC like this; using VNAV could put you face first into this mountain! Or at least give you that ATC violation. Once again there are no crossing restrictions on this arrival; but guys still try to make them. Possibly because so many pilots are so paranoid about making crossing restrictions. So many guys are so VNAV dependent they'll let the airplane fly itself right into the mountains. Possibly it's because they've been up all night? Possibly they just have reading problems? Possibly it's just because so many guys just want to do it the hard way? I don't know. But I do know the chart is being consistently misread and one morning; they'll be a crew of 3 guys and well; it might be over. Having been to lpb somewhere between 500 to 1000 times I can tell you how the real world works. Controller tells you to call ready for descent. When you're ready you call him. He'll descend you to FL220 (sometimes FL250) and tell you to report 15 miles out. This will keep you well above all mountains on the airway. At 15 miles out he will then tell you to descent 18000 ft; it's that easy. Just do what ATC says. The reality is that all of the altitude notes on the 10-2 really don't play a part in the arrival. (Other than possibly planning purposes; but they're being used as hard altitudes.) ATC gives us the altitudes. And with so many pilots misinterpreting them; why even have them on the chart?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An Air Carrier Captain reported that the SLLP/LPB Commercial 10.2 'DESCEND TO' Arrival notes are misleading and lack clarity that a descent should BEGIN at those DME's and not be accomplished by those DME's. Very high terrain in the area is above some altitudes on the arrival.

Narrative: We were approaching SLLP; which could very well be the site of an accident. Experienced crews misread the 10-2 page and try to descend into the mountains. The experienced Co-pilots are always catching new Captains making that mistake and complaining. The flight department has a policy that any international Co-pilot can fly to SLLP/LPB; regardless of whether they've been even to high altitude airports. Well it happened again; albeit on an airway that we rarely use. I was back on my break. When I came back from my break; the Relief Pilot (been to LPB before; but it's been years) had programmed the FMC with crossing restrictions. (For the record there are no crossing restrictions on the arrival and therein lies the problem). We were on UR559 coming over SIBUS. He had programmed the FMC to CROSS 40 miles out at FL220 and CROSS 30 miles out at FL180. This is not what the chart says. It says to DESCEND AT THESE POINTS TO THE APPROPRIATE ALTITUDE NOT CROSS THESE AT THOSE ALTITUDES. Crossing these points at these altitudes will put you right in the mountains. At the very least; it's an ATC violation. I caught the mistake and corrected it before descent and no harm was done. Additionally; on this airway (UR559) the mountains aren't quite as high as the most used airway; but you could get close enough to the mountains. Which brings me to the next paragraph. Most of the time we use UL309 over ELANI. The 10-2 chart clearly says; 'Descend to FL220 at ELANI and descend to 18000 FT at 15 miles out.' The problem is that the inexperienced guys are programming to cross ELANI at FL220 and CROSS 15 miles out at 18000 FT. There is an almost 20000 FT peak between these points. (Offset slightly left of the airway). Programming the FMC like this; using VNAV could put you face first into this mountain! Or at least give you that ATC violation. Once again there are NO crossing restrictions on this arrival; but guys still try to make them. Possibly because so many pilots are so paranoid about making crossing restrictions. So many guys are so VNAV dependent they'll let the airplane fly itself right into the mountains. Possibly it's because they've been up all night? Possibly they just have reading problems? Possibly it's just because so many guys just want to do it the hard way? I don't know. But I do know the chart is being consistently misread and one morning; they'll be a crew of 3 guys and well; it might be over. Having been to LPB somewhere between 500 to 1000 times I can tell you how the real world works. Controller tells you to call ready for descent. When you're ready you call him. He'll descend you to FL220 (sometimes FL250) and tell you to report 15 miles out. This will keep you well above all mountains on the airway. At 15 miles out he will then tell you to descent 18000 FT; it's that easy. Just do what ATC says. The reality is that all of the altitude notes on the 10-2 really don't play a part in the arrival. (Other than possibly planning purposes; but they're being used as hard altitudes.) ATC gives us the altitudes. And with so many pilots misinterpreting them; why even have them on the chart?

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.