Failed to comply with clearance to cross 60 DME south at 240.

Attributes
ACN	89824
Time
Date	198806
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sdz
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zjx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	89824
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer flying and communicating (captain not in loop) was clrd to cross 60 south of sdz at FL240. First officer read back 'sixteen south at 240'. Should have read 'one six south at 240'. Controller should have clrd us to cross 'six zero south at 240'. I questioned first officer on the 16 figure (an odd distance that didn't correspond to an intersection on arrival chart). At about 65 mi south of sdz we finally straightened out the distance albeit too late to make the crossing. When I asked controller to waive the crossing he said 'just do the best you can', which is meaningless. Standard radio phraseology should always be used. There are sound reasons for its use and I'm sure it has evolved out of screw-ups like the aforementioned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILED TO COMPLY WITH CLRNC TO CROSS 60 DME SOUTH AT 240.

Narrative: F/O FLYING AND COMMUNICATING (CAPT NOT IN LOOP) WAS CLRD TO CROSS 60 S OF SDZ AT FL240. F/O READ BACK 'SIXTEEN S AT 240'. SHOULD HAVE READ 'ONE SIX SOUTH AT 240'. CTLR SHOULD HAVE CLRD US TO CROSS 'SIX ZERO SOUTH AT 240'. I QUESTIONED F/O ON THE 16 FIGURE (AN ODD DISTANCE THAT DIDN'T CORRESPOND TO AN INTXN ON ARRIVAL CHART). AT ABOUT 65 MI SOUTH OF SDZ WE FINALLY STRAIGHTENED OUT THE DISTANCE ALBEIT TOO LATE TO MAKE THE XING. WHEN I ASKED CTLR TO WAIVE THE XING HE SAID 'JUST DO THE BEST YOU CAN', WHICH IS MEANINGLESS. STANDARD RADIO PHRASEOLOGY SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED. THERE ARE SOUND REASONS FOR ITS USE AND I'M SURE IT HAS EVOLVED OUT OF SCREW-UPS LIKE THE AFOREMENTIONED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.