Narrative:

Our flight was originally cleared to 18000' (FL180) and anticipate to cross a point southwest of woodside VOR at 8000' point only defined as 25 NM southwest of woodside. When about 40 NM nnw of woodside I asked controller how far we had to run (how many mi) to this point. He replied by saying he needed us farther out and for us to proceed direct to pyrat to cross pyrat at 8000' and then proceed direct to woodside VOR and maintain 8000'. By the time we found pyrat on our charts (this was first time it was mentioned) and programmed our INS and VOR's to display this position we had already passed it. He gave us this clearance probably within 6-8 mi of pyrat. Turning to the VOR on the pyrat right we advised that we would be unable to make the crossing altitude and asked if he wished us to continue direct to woodside. He said for us to make one 360 to left and midway through this maneuver he gave us a rollout heading of 120 degree. We were descending at maximum rate with speed brakes as soon as he gave us clearance. The clearance he gave direct pyrat to cross at 8000' was an impossible one for us to make considering our altitude and proximity; also, we do not have the capacity to go direct to a point unless we enter it into our INS which after an ocean crossing is not accurate enough for terminal environment. Our INS error on arrival was 14 mi, 21 mi, and 2 mi. A glass cockpit aircraft might have this immediate capability but our vintage equipment does not!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION. CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS ORIGINALLY CLRED TO 18000' (FL180) AND ANTICIPATE TO CROSS A POINT SW OF WOODSIDE VOR AT 8000' POINT ONLY DEFINED AS 25 NM SW OF WOODSIDE. WHEN ABOUT 40 NM NNW OF WOODSIDE I ASKED CTLR HOW FAR WE HAD TO RUN (HOW MANY MI) TO THIS POINT. HE REPLIED BY SAYING HE NEEDED US FARTHER OUT AND FOR US TO PROCEED DIRECT TO PYRAT TO CROSS PYRAT AT 8000' AND THEN PROCEED DIRECT TO WOODSIDE VOR AND MAINTAIN 8000'. BY THE TIME WE FOUND PYRAT ON OUR CHARTS (THIS WAS FIRST TIME IT WAS MENTIONED) AND PROGRAMMED OUR INS AND VOR'S TO DISPLAY THIS POS WE HAD ALREADY PASSED IT. HE GAVE US THIS CLRNC PROBABLY WITHIN 6-8 MI OF PYRAT. TURNING TO THE VOR ON THE PYRAT R WE ADVISED THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE XING ALT AND ASKED IF HE WISHED US TO CONTINUE DIRECT TO WOODSIDE. HE SAID FOR US TO MAKE ONE 360 TO L AND MIDWAY THROUGH THIS MANEUVER HE GAVE US A ROLLOUT HDG OF 120 DEG. WE WERE DSNDING AT MAX RATE WITH SPD BRAKES AS SOON AS HE GAVE US CLRNC. THE CLRNC HE GAVE DIRECT PYRAT TO CROSS AT 8000' WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE ONE FOR US TO MAKE CONSIDERING OUR ALT AND PROX; ALSO, WE DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GO DIRECT TO A POINT UNLESS WE ENTER IT INTO OUR INS WHICH AFTER AN OCEAN XING IS NOT ACCURATE ENOUGH FOR TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT. OUR INS ERROR ON ARR WAS 14 MI, 21 MI, AND 2 MI. A GLASS COCKPIT ACFT MIGHT HAVE THIS IMMEDIATE CAPABILITY BUT OUR VINTAGE EQUIPMENT DOES NOT!

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