Bna arrs on the hehaw 3 STAR are descended below 18000 ft very early, 90 mi out.

Attributes
ACN	250782
Time
Date	199309
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iiu
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid artcc : zme tracon : bna tracon : bfl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	250782
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	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
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The hehaw arrival into nashville is an accident waiting to happen. Aircraft are forced to fly 90 mi below 18000 ft. Thus, you are basically VFR at 300 KTS. On the segment out of louisville you are headed southwest. You are looking into the afternoon sun and in to haze. There is no way to see a VFR aircraft or whatever. The problem appears to be that ZID will not give a discretionary descent because you next go to ZME, then to nashville approach. They are too inflexible to insure safety. If they keep forcing you to get down early, one day there will be a midair. You can bet the NTSB will find the probable cause as 'pilot failed to see and avoid VFR aircraft.' what a sick joke. The real cause is that the FAA designed a procedure which caused an accident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BNA ARRS ON THE HEHAW 3 STAR ARE DSNDED BELOW 18000 FT VERY EARLY, 90 MI OUT.

Narrative: THE HEHAW ARR INTO NASHVILLE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. ACFT ARE FORCED TO FLY 90 MI BELOW 18000 FT. THUS, YOU ARE BASICALLY VFR AT 300 KTS. ON THE SEGMENT OUT OF LOUISVILLE YOU ARE HEADED SW. YOU ARE LOOKING INTO THE AFTERNOON SUN AND IN TO HAZE. THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE A VFR ACFT OR WHATEVER. THE PROB APPEARS TO BE THAT ZID WILL NOT GIVE A DISCRETIONARY DSCNT BECAUSE YOU NEXT GO TO ZME, THEN TO NASHVILLE APCH. THEY ARE TOO INFLEXIBLE TO INSURE SAFETY. IF THEY KEEP FORCING YOU TO GET DOWN EARLY, ONE DAY THERE WILL BE A MIDAIR. YOU CAN BET THE NTSB WILL FIND THE PROBABLE CAUSE AS 'PLT FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID VFR ACFT.' WHAT A SICK JOKE. THE REAL CAUSE IS THAT THE FAA DESIGNED A PROC WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

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.