Narrative:

During descent to landing at smf, controller instructions were to descend from FL220 to cross 30 NM south of sacramento at 11000 ft. A planned rate of descent of 2500 FPM was anticipated which would necessitate a begin descent point of 61 NM from sacramento. At about 63 NM distance from sacramento the controller asked if we were able to make our crossing restr, suggesting we were only 1 min, 30 seconds from crossing point. We immediately commenced a very high rate of descent and made a right turn as directed by the controller. We made the crossing restr as originally cleared. However, the high rate of descent I am sure was of concern to my passenger. The problem was one of mixing the VOR and airport names both are named sacramento. However, the VOR is about 13 mi south of the airport. We were referencing the distance from the airport as indicated on our flight management system long range navigation. The controller wanted us to cross 30 south of the VOR, not the airport as we thought. In the future where vors and airports are co-named and not co-located, we will have to make sure the controller and ourselves are referencing the same point.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALERT TFC CTLR CUED RPTR OF ALT ASSIGNMENT MISUNDERSTANDING IN TIME FOR THE RPTR TO RECOVER, THE RPTR ASSUMED THE VOR WAS CO-LOCATED WITH THE ARPT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT TO LNDG AT SMF, CTLR INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO DSND FROM FL220 TO CROSS 30 NM S OF SACRAMENTO AT 11000 FT. A PLANNED RATE OF DSCNT OF 2500 FPM WAS ANTICIPATED WHICH WOULD NECESSITATE A BEGIN DSCNT POINT OF 61 NM FROM SACRAMENTO. AT ABOUT 63 NM DISTANCE FROM SACRAMENTO THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE OUR XING RESTR, SUGGESTING WE WERE ONLY 1 MIN, 30 SECONDS FROM XING POINT. WE IMMEDIATELY COMMENCED A VERY HIGH RATE OF DSCNT AND MADE A R TURN AS DIRECTED BY THE CTLR. WE MADE THE XING RESTR AS ORIGINALLY CLRED. HOWEVER, THE HIGH RATE OF DSCNT I AM SURE WAS OF CONCERN TO MY PAX. THE PROB WAS ONE OF MIXING THE VOR AND ARPT NAMES BOTH ARE NAMED SACRAMENTO. HOWEVER, THE VOR IS ABOUT 13 MI S OF THE ARPT. WE WERE REFING THE DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT AS INDICATED ON OUR FLT MGMNT SYS LONG RANGE NAV. THE CTLR WANTED US TO CROSS 30 S OF THE VOR, NOT THE ARPT AS WE THOUGHT. IN THE FUTURE WHERE VORS AND ARPTS ARE CO-NAMED AND NOT CO-LOCATED, WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE CTLR AND OURSELVES ARE REFING THE SAME POINT.

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.