At light transport cpr aircraft did not comply with an altitude clearance that was not properly word...

Attributes
ACN	218237
Time
Date	199208
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pmdy
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	218237
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	217938
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight from padk to pmdy at FL410. Clearance received to cross 35 north at FL290, cruise FL290 midway. I assumed that 35 north was mi from midway as '35 north' (latitude) would put us approximately 450 NM out at FL290 and fuel could have been critical. Checking in at 35 north 177 west, we discovered our error. New clearance received to maintain FL410. At 30 north 177 west, we asked for descent. Never got it, until over phdy at FL410. Then, clearance was received to backtrack to 30 north 177 west, descend there to FL330 and maintain FL330 at H plus 30Z. We would not even be at 30 north 177 west by that time. Said we could not make FL330 by H plus 30 and requested descent. Got the clearance, started descent and started turn at 30 northwest 177 for midway. Everything smooth then. Upon landing at pmdy, requested to call oakland. Oakland was concerned that we had left FL410 before 30 north 177 west (second time around) for FL330. We had not. Found out that hi-tokyo tracks were overflying midway that day. That finally made sense of screwy clearance, to go back north and duck under the tracks. Supplemental information from acn 217938: the controller should have used the full identifier of the fix 35 north 177 west in the clearance rather than just 35 north.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT LTT CPR ACFT DID NOT COMPLY WITH AN ALT CLRNC THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY WORDED.

Narrative: FLT FROM PADK TO PMDY AT FL410. CLRNC RECEIVED TO CROSS 35 N AT FL290, CRUISE FL290 MIDWAY. I ASSUMED THAT 35 N WAS MI FROM MIDWAY AS '35 N' (LATITUDE) WOULD PUT US APPROX 450 NM OUT AT FL290 AND FUEL COULD HAVE BEEN CRITICAL. CHKING IN AT 35 N 177 W, WE DISCOVERED OUR ERROR. NEW CLRNC RECEIVED TO MAINTAIN FL410. AT 30 N 177 W, WE ASKED FOR DSCNT. NEVER GOT IT, UNTIL OVER PHDY AT FL410. THEN, CLRNC WAS RECEIVED TO BACKTRACK TO 30 N 177 W, DSND THERE TO FL330 AND MAINTAIN FL330 AT H PLUS 30Z. WE WOULD NOT EVEN BE AT 30 N 177 W BY THAT TIME. SAID WE COULD NOT MAKE FL330 BY H PLUS 30 AND REQUESTED DSCNT. GOT THE CLRNC, STARTED DSCNT AND STARTED TURN AT 30 NW 177 FOR MIDWAY. EVERYTHING SMOOTH THEN. UPON LNDG AT PMDY, REQUESTED TO CALL OAKLAND. OAKLAND WAS CONCERNED THAT WE HAD LEFT FL410 BEFORE 30 N 177 W (SECOND TIME AROUND) FOR FL330. WE HAD NOT. FOUND OUT THAT HI-TOKYO TRACKS WERE OVERFLYING MIDWAY THAT DAY. THAT FINALLY MADE SENSE OF SCREWY CLRNC, TO GO BACK N AND DUCK UNDER THE TRACKS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 217938: THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE USED THE FULL IDENTIFIER OF THE FIX 35 N 177 W IN THE CLRNC RATHER THAN JUST 35 N.

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.

At light transport cpr aircraft did not comply with an altitude clearance that was not properly worded.