ARTCC radar controller failed to amend crossing restriction.

Attributes
ACN	155203
Time
Date	199008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	155020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	154531
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X after being held at FL240 until 20 mi from merma, I was cleared to cross merma at and maintain 14000'. When I informed ZLA I was unable to comply, he said, 'do the best you can.' I reiterated that I could not make the restriction, and asked that it be lifted. ZLA replied, 'do the best you can, don't argue with me. Your performance will be directly proportional to whether or not you have to do a 360.' I replied, 'do what you have to do, but I can't make the restriction.' after having been told time and again, 'do the best you can,' that does not relieve one of the obligation to make a restriction on a STAR. It is frustrating to tell center that I can't make a restriction and have them tell me that. Either center should not use the terminology, 'do the best you can,' in regard to crossing restrictions, or they should say, 'crossing restriction lifted, do the best you can.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR FAILED TO AMEND CROSSING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: ACR X AFTER BEING HELD AT FL240 UNTIL 20 MI FROM MERMA, I WAS CLRED TO CROSS MERMA AT AND MAINTAIN 14000'. WHEN I INFORMED ZLA I WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY, HE SAID, 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN.' I REITERATED THAT I COULD NOT MAKE THE RESTRICTION, AND ASKED THAT IT BE LIFTED. ZLA REPLIED, 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN, DON'T ARGUE WITH ME. YOUR PERFORMANCE WILL BE DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE TO DO A 360.' I REPLIED, 'DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, BUT I CAN'T MAKE THE RESTRICTION.' AFTER HAVING BEEN TOLD TIME AND AGAIN, 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN,' THAT DOES NOT RELIEVE ONE OF THE OBLIGATION TO MAKE A RESTRICTION ON A STAR. IT IS FRUSTRATING TO TELL CENTER THAT I CAN'T MAKE A RESTRICTION AND HAVE THEM TELL ME THAT. EITHER CENTER SHOULD NOT USE THE TERMINOLOGY, 'DO THE BEST YOU CAN,' IN REGARD TO XING RESTRICTIONS, OR THEY SHOULD SAY, 'XING RESTRICTION LIFTED, DO THE BEST YOU CAN.'

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.