Narrative:

On 11/tue/88 at about XA45 we were descending into the ny area for landing at ewr. We were on a direct clearance to robbinsville VOR when the controller cleared us to '110 at holey intersection, 80 at rbv (113.8).' since we were not on the warrd ii arrival, but northbound east of it, this did not seem to be an appropriate clearance. We were already in a descent, so the pilot set up for 80 at rbv. As copilot I tried to clarify with ATC. They restated the clearance as we began to go through 110. We asked again if we weren't cleared direct to rbv. At that time the controller came back and said '20 south of rbv at 110, rbv at 80.' by this time we had descended to about 105 going to 80. After the last we stabilized at 110 to 20 south and then descended to 80 at rbv. There seemed to be a series of communications snafus. The controller seemed confused about the direct clearance he gave us not going over holey. The pilot had some problems with his radio and the first officer was trying to get verifications to everyone. I think the basic problem was in the controller's confusion about where the routing went. Supplemental information from acn 99045: our flight was from dca to ewr, and at approximately eno VOR we were given a crossing restr of holey intersection at 11000 ft and rbv VOR at 8000 ft (speed 250 KTS in descent). After crossing holey at 11000 ft I continued the descent to 8000 ft as instructed by ATC. At approximately 10000 ft the controller asked our altitude. We responded '10000 ft for 8000 ft.' he then got very testy and lectured us about the crossing restr. I was dumbfounded, because I sincerely believed we had thoroughly complied with the clearance. Apparently the controller believes we missed the 11000 ft crossing restr and descended too soon toward the 8000 ft rbv crossing restr. My first officer confirmed to me that we had indeed met the restrs. I am at a loss to explain the less than cordial attitude of the controller. We sincerely believed we were right, and asked for the phone number so as to calmly talk it over with the controller upon landing at ewr. He stated that his supervisor was standing there and did we still want the phone #. I replied in the affirmative and was given the number. When I called, I was told they were 'too busy' and knew nothing about it. I'm still at a loss to figure this one out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ISSUED CLRNC TO ATC-LTT TO CROSS INTXN ON STAR WHICH LTT WAS NO LONGER ON AS HAD BEEN CLEARED DIRECT, SO STARTED DESCENT BEFORE ABLE TO CLARIFY CLRNC. AT SAME TIME CTLR ACCUSED ACR-MLG OF OVERSHOOT OF DESCENT RESTRICTION ON STAR.

Narrative: ON 11/TUE/88 AT ABOUT XA45 WE WERE DSNDING INTO THE NY AREA FOR LNDG AT EWR. WE WERE ON A DIRECT CLRNC TO ROBBINSVILLE VOR WHEN THE CTLR CLRED US TO '110 AT HOLEY INTXN, 80 AT RBV (113.8).' SINCE WE WERE NOT ON THE WARRD II ARR, BUT NBOUND E OF IT, THIS DID NOT SEEM TO BE AN APPROPRIATE CLRNC. WE WERE ALREADY IN A DSCNT, SO THE PLT SET UP FOR 80 AT RBV. AS COPLT I TRIED TO CLARIFY WITH ATC. THEY RESTATED THE CLRNC AS WE BEGAN TO GO THROUGH 110. WE ASKED AGAIN IF WE WEREN'T CLRED DIRECT TO RBV. AT THAT TIME THE CTLR CAME BACK AND SAID '20 S OF RBV AT 110, RBV AT 80.' BY THIS TIME WE HAD DSNDED TO ABOUT 105 GOING TO 80. AFTER THE LAST WE STABILIZED AT 110 TO 20 S AND THEN DSNDED TO 80 AT RBV. THERE SEEMED TO BE A SERIES OF COMS SNAFUS. THE CTLR SEEMED CONFUSED ABOUT THE DIRECT CLRNC HE GAVE US NOT GOING OVER HOLEY. THE PLT HAD SOME PROBS WITH HIS RADIO AND THE FO WAS TRYING TO GET VERIFICATIONS TO EVERYONE. I THINK THE BASIC PROB WAS IN THE CTLR'S CONFUSION ABOUT WHERE THE ROUTING WENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 99045: OUR FLT WAS FROM DCA TO EWR, AND AT APPROX ENO VOR WE WERE GIVEN A XING RESTR OF HOLEY INTXN AT 11000 FT AND RBV VOR AT 8000 FT (SPD 250 KTS IN DSCNT). AFTER XING HOLEY AT 11000 FT I CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO 8000 FT AS INSTRUCTED BY ATC. AT APPROX 10000 FT THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. WE RESPONDED '10000 FT FOR 8000 FT.' HE THEN GOT VERY TESTY AND LECTURED US ABOUT THE XING RESTR. I WAS DUMBFOUNDED, BECAUSE I SINCERELY BELIEVED WE HAD THOROUGHLY COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC. APPARENTLY THE CTLR BELIEVES WE MISSED THE 11000 FT XING RESTR AND DSNDED TOO SOON TOWARD THE 8000 FT RBV XING RESTR. MY FO CONFIRMED TO ME THAT WE HAD INDEED MET THE RESTRS. I AM AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN THE LESS THAN CORDIAL ATTITUDE OF THE CTLR. WE SINCERELY BELIEVED WE WERE RIGHT, AND ASKED FOR THE PHONE NUMBER SO AS TO CALMLY TALK IT OVER WITH THE CTLR UPON LNDG AT EWR. HE STATED THAT HIS SUPVR WAS STANDING THERE AND DID WE STILL WANT THE PHONE #. I REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND WAS GIVEN THE NUMBER. WHEN I CALLED, I WAS TOLD THEY WERE 'TOO BUSY' AND KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT. I'M STILL AT A LOSS TO FIGURE THIS ONE OUT.

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.