Altitude deviation -- crossing restriction not met. Cftt.

Attributes
ACN	294836
Time
Date	199501
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mpu
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : scel
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	294936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had crossed umkal intersection cleared for the umkal 2 arrival to santiago. Santiago approach cleared us to descend from FL390 to FL70. The PNF and PF both understood that we were in radar contact and that we could safely descend all the way down to FL70. Just before crossing a point in the arrival with a crossing altitude of FL180 or above, we were approaching FL100. Santiago approach called and informed us that we had descended below the MSA for this segment of the arrival, and instructed us to maintain FL100. We immediately leveled at FL100. We had assumed that while in radar contact that we could safely descend to the cleared level of FL70. Santiago approach subsequently instructed us to descend to FL70 and intercept the localizer. We landed without incident. A pparently, santiago approach intended for us to observe the arrival procedure altitude restrictions, even though they had us in radar contact and had cleared us to descend to FL70. We both feel that this incident was in part due to communication misunderstanding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV -- XING RESTRICTION NOT MET. CFTT.

Narrative: WE HAD CROSSED UMKAL INTXN CLRED FOR THE UMKAL 2 ARR TO SANTIAGO. SANTIAGO APCH CLRED US TO DSND FROM FL390 TO FL70. THE PNF AND PF BOTH UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE IN RADAR CONTACT AND THAT WE COULD SAFELY DSND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FL70. JUST BEFORE XING A POINT IN THE ARR WITH A XING ALT OF FL180 OR ABOVE, WE WERE APCHING FL100. SANTIAGO APCH CALLED AND INFORMED US THAT WE HAD DSNDED BELOW THE MSA FOR THIS SEGMENT OF THE ARR, AND INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN FL100. WE IMMEDIATELY LEVELED AT FL100. WE HAD ASSUMED THAT WHILE IN RADAR CONTACT THAT WE COULD SAFELY DSND TO THE CLRED LEVEL OF FL70. SANTIAGO APCH SUBSEQUENTLY INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO FL70 AND INTERCEPT THE LOC. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. A PPARENTLY, SANTIAGO APCH INTENDED FOR US TO OBSERVE THE ARR PROC ALT RESTRICTIONS, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD US IN RADAR CONTACT AND HAD CLRED US TO DSND TO FL70. WE BOTH FEEL THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS IN PART DUE TO COM MISUNDERSTANDING.

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.