After being issued a descend via the endee 3 except maintain 11;000; a CE560 captain is issued a run...

Attributes
ACN	1213988
Time
Date	201410
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	MDW.Airport
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Citation V/Ultra/Encore (C560)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	STAR ENDEE THREE
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 45 Flight Crew Total 18000 Flight Crew Type 3000
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

Following the endee three arrival into mdw; we were given a clearance to descend via the endee three except maintain 11000. Eleven thousand feet was set into the altitude alerter. Upon switching to chicago approach control the transition to runway 31C via gagga was added to our descend via clearance with no mention of 'except maintain 11000 ft. As we leveled off at 11000 the controller called to inquire if we were going to make the crossing restriction of moors at 10000 or below. We advised the controller that we had been previously restricted to 11;000. Descend via clearances seem to work fine when used as published; however confusion can develop when they are modified. It may seem obvious in retrospect that the 'except maintain 11000' was omitted from the second clearance; but a busy arrival is no place to be parsing the english language. A phrase such as 'cancel the 11000 foot restriction' would go a long way to assuring clarity of communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: After being issued a descend via the ENDEE 3 except maintain 11;000; a CE560 Captain is issued a Runway 31C transition via GAGGA by Approach. Without the altitude being mentioned or modified the Captain levels at 11;000 FT and is queried by ATC as to why.

Narrative: Following the ENDEE THREE arrival into MDW; we were given a clearance to Descend Via the ENDEE THREE except maintain 11000. Eleven thousand feet was set into the altitude alerter. Upon switching to Chicago approach control the transition to runway 31C via GAGGA was added to our Descend Via clearance with no mention of 'Except maintain 11000 FT. As we leveled off at 11000 the controller called to inquire if we were going to make the crossing restriction of MOORS at 10000 or below. We advised the controller that we had been previously restricted to 11;000. Descend Via clearances seem to work fine when used as published; however confusion can develop when they are modified. It may seem obvious in retrospect that the 'Except maintain 11000' was omitted from the second clearance; but a busy arrival is no place to be parsing the English language. A phrase such as 'Cancel the 11000 foot restriction' would go a long way to assuring clarity of communication.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

After being issued a descend via the endee 3 except maintain 11;000; a CE560 captain is issued a runway 31C transition via gagga by approach. Without the altitude being mentioned or modified the captain levels at 11;000 ft and is queried by ATC as to why.