Narrative:

On fossil one arrival to phx. The STAR in use was dated 10/2/90. ATC alerted us of recent movement of the VOR location and the implementation of a new fossil arrival and provided a new heading and altitude crossing requirements. We were not in possession of the new STAR that went into affect on 1/9/92, some confusion occurred pertaining to the DME distance for the basen intersection during our descent to 9000 ft. We descended down to 8700 ft before noting our deviation below the 9000 ft descent clearance. Returned immediately to 9000 ft. Approach controller noted our deviation and advised us that it caused no conflict with other traffic. I talked to approach control personnel by telephone on the ground. I recommended that a longer time be allowed for distribution of arrival and departure procedure changes to air carriers before implementation to assure that everyone has the information in their possession. I believe the confusion pertaining to the new STAR caused this altitude deviation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The new revision was in the flight crew's mail boxes on return to home base from a 4 day pattern that ran over the implementation date of the new procedure. Reporter said he talked with phx approach and was advised that several different acrs had problems with not receiving the change in procedure in a timely manner. Reporter speculates that perhaps the holiday season delayed the mail.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALTDEV OVERSHOT DURING DSCNT INTO PHX ON A NEW UNPUBLISHED STAR.

Narrative: ON FOSSIL ONE ARR TO PHX. THE STAR IN USE WAS DATED 10/2/90. ATC ALERTED US OF RECENT MOVEMENT OF THE VOR LOCATION AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW FOSSIL ARR AND PROVIDED A NEW HDG AND ALT XING REQUIREMENTS. WE WERE NOT IN POSSESSION OF THE NEW STAR THAT WENT INTO AFFECT ON 1/9/92, SOME CONFUSION OCCURRED PERTAINING TO THE DME DISTANCE FOR THE BASEN INTXN DURING OUR DSCNT TO 9000 FT. WE DSNDED DOWN TO 8700 FT BEFORE NOTING OUR DEV BELOW THE 9000 FT DSCNT CLRNC. RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO 9000 FT. APCH CTLR NOTED OUR DEV AND ADVISED US THAT IT CAUSED NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. I TALKED TO APCH CTL PERSONNEL BY TELEPHONE ON THE GND. I RECOMMENDED THAT A LONGER TIME BE ALLOWED FOR DISTRIBUTION OF ARR AND DEP PROC CHANGES TO AIR CARRIERS BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION TO ASSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE INFO IN THEIR POSSESSION. I BELIEVE THE CONFUSION PERTAINING TO THE NEW STAR CAUSED THIS ALTDEV. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE NEW REVISION WAS IN THE FLC'S MAIL BOXES ON RETURN TO HOME BASE FROM A 4 DAY PATTERN THAT RAN OVER THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF THE NEW PROC. RPTR SAID HE TALKED WITH PHX APCH AND WAS ADVISED THAT SEVERAL DIFFERENT ACRS HAD PROBLEMS WITH NOT RECEIVING THE CHANGE IN PROC IN A TIMELY MANNER. RPTR SPECULATES THAT PERHAPS THE HOLIDAY SEASON DELAYED THE MAIL.

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.