Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation undershot altitude crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	90333
Time
Date	198807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl airport : pvd
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	90333
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	90331
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier flight descending for landing at pvd. Crossing restriction given by ZBW was 25 NM southwest of pvd at 11000' and 250 KTS, altimeter 30.10. We slowly departed FL180 as we were only 10 NM southeast of bradley at the time with routing as follows (bdl 148 degree right to wacky intersection direct pvd). This left approximately 37 NM distance to make the restriction. (No problem for the medium large transport.) I, the first officer, was flying the aircraft and also wrote down the controller's instructions. The captain was working the radios and read back the clearance exactly as I heard it, and also as I had written it down. After approximately another 10 NM the controller asked how we were coming with the restriction. The captain responded that 25 NM southwest of pvd at 11000' and 250 KTS was no problem. The controller then said that the clearance was 25 NM southeast of bradley at 11000' and 250 KTS. This is definitely not what he said the first time. The captain advised him of such and said there was no way we could make that restriction, what would he like us to do. He gave us 2 short vectors off course. Aircraft conflict was never a problem. We asked the controller if there was a problem with the incident and he stated 'no problem.' I am convinced that even though the controller may have wanted us 25 mi southeast of bdl at 11000', he gave us the normal clearance for that area of 25 mi southwest of pvd at 11000'. Myself and the captain both heard the clearance distinctly and we both wrote it down and it was read back as such. The controller did not dispute our readback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION UNDERSHOT ALT CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: ACR FLT DSNDING FOR LNDG AT PVD. XING RESTRICTION GIVEN BY ZBW WAS 25 NM SW OF PVD AT 11000' AND 250 KTS, ALTIMETER 30.10. WE SLOWLY DEPARTED FL180 AS WE WERE ONLY 10 NM SE OF BRADLEY AT THE TIME WITH ROUTING AS FOLLOWS (BDL 148 DEG R TO WACKY INTXN DIRECT PVD). THIS LEFT APPROX 37 NM DISTANCE TO MAKE THE RESTRICTION. (NO PROB FOR THE MLG.) I, THE F/O, WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND ALSO WROTE DOWN THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE CAPT WAS WORKING THE RADIOS AND READ BACK THE CLRNC EXACTLY AS I HEARD IT, AND ALSO AS I HAD WRITTEN IT DOWN. AFTER APPROX ANOTHER 10 NM THE CTLR ASKED HOW WE WERE COMING WITH THE RESTRICTION. THE CAPT RESPONDED THAT 25 NM SW OF PVD AT 11000' AND 250 KTS WAS NO PROB. THE CTLR THEN SAID THAT THE CLRNC WAS 25 NM SE OF BRADLEY AT 11000' AND 250 KTS. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT WHAT HE SAID THE FIRST TIME. THE CAPT ADVISED HIM OF SUCH AND SAID THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD MAKE THAT RESTRICTION, WHAT WOULD HE LIKE US TO DO. HE GAVE US 2 SHORT VECTORS OFF COURSE. ACFT CONFLICT WAS NEVER A PROB. WE ASKED THE CTLR IF THERE WAS A PROB WITH THE INCIDENT AND HE STATED 'NO PROB.' I AM CONVINCED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR MAY HAVE WANTED US 25 MI SE OF BDL AT 11000', HE GAVE US THE NORMAL CLRNC FOR THAT AREA OF 25 MI SW OF PVD AT 11000'. MYSELF AND THE CAPT BOTH HEARD THE CLRNC DISTINCTLY AND WE BOTH WROTE IT DOWN AND IT WAS READ BACK AS SUCH. THE CTLR DID NOT DISPUTE OUR READBACK.

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.