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Medium transport aircraft flight crew reported miscommunication between them and ATC regarding a 'descend via' clearance resulted in a missed crossing altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1588282 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201810 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | PSP.Airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Altitude Undershoot Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance |
Narrative:
[On departure] we were not issued an arrival into psp. In flight we were given a reroute to go direct to glrno and the SIZLR3 into psp. At a later communication with ATC we were told to cross glrno at 24;000 feet. We started our descent. We were handed off to socal who then changed our clearance to 'descend via the SIZLR3.' I armed VNAV and the path captured. On the chart; glrno is noted at or above 24;000 feet [and we] crossed above 24;000 feet. Socal queried us 'would we make the restriction at sizlr?' which has [charted crossing] altitudes [between] 23;000 feet and 20;000 feet. At that point I realized there was confusion in our clearance. The PIC asked socal what was his understanding of our clearance. [The response was] 'to descend via.' it was my interpretation that when given a descend via; unless told to cross the fix at 24;000 feet; you are cleared [via charted restrictions]. I am not sure if it was a poor hand off from controllers or we misinterpreted directions. But from now on I will ask.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Medium transport aircraft flight crew reported miscommunication between them and ATC regarding a 'descend via' clearance resulted in a missed crossing altitude.
Narrative: [On departure] we were not issued an arrival into PSP. In flight we were given a reroute to go direct to GLRNO and the SIZLR3 into PSP. At a later communication with ATC we were told to cross GLRNO at 24;000 feet. We started our descent. We were handed off to SoCal who then changed our clearance to 'descend via the SIZLR3.' I armed VNAV and the path captured. On the chart; GLRNO is noted at or above 24;000 feet [and we] crossed above 24;000 feet. SoCal queried us 'would we make the restriction at SIZLR?' which has [charted crossing] altitudes [between] 23;000 feet and 20;000 feet. At that point I realized there was confusion in our clearance. The PIC asked SoCal what was his understanding of our clearance. [The response was] 'To descend via.' It was my interpretation that when given a descend via; unless told to cross the fix at 24;000 feet; you are cleared [via charted restrictions]. I am not sure if it was a poor hand off from controllers or we misinterpreted directions. But from now on I will ask.
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.