Narrative:

Flight was en route dfw-mco on nov/wed/95 at XA35. We were cleared to descend to cross 10 mi north of st pete at FL210 on the MINEE2 arrival. We set up the FMS to cross 1 mi north of gummy at FL210. Pie plus 9 gummy plus 1 equal 10, going north on the arrival. Upon further examination, the controller could have meant 10 short of pie on a heading of approximately 105 degrees, we were northwest of pie. However, no one questioned our arrival at gummy plus 1 at FL210. We were descended further and then turned over to another sector, so really don't know if right or wrong. Maybe different terminology could have been used such as 'this side of pie' or 'on this heading, descend to cross 10 this side of pie at FL210,' as we were concerned about altitude inside the MINEE2 arrival beginning at pie. No further incidents were noted. Supplemental information from acn 320765: ZJX issued a clearance to cross 10 north of pie at FL210. The controller could have meant 10 mi northwest of pie. Since we were a way from normal top of descent into mco.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC PHRASEOLOGY PUTS DOUBT IN AN ACR CREW'S MIND WHETHER THEY MADE OR MISSED A XING RESTR.

Narrative: FLT WAS ENRTE DFW-MCO ON NOV/WED/95 AT XA35. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO CROSS 10 MI N OF ST PETE AT FL210 ON THE MINEE2 ARR. WE SET UP THE FMS TO CROSS 1 MI N OF GUMMY AT FL210. PIE PLUS 9 GUMMY PLUS 1 EQUAL 10, GOING N ON THE ARR. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION, THE CTLR COULD HAVE MEANT 10 SHORT OF PIE ON A HDG OF APPROX 105 DEGS, WE WERE NW OF PIE. HOWEVER, NO ONE QUESTIONED OUR ARR AT GUMMY PLUS 1 AT FL210. WE WERE DSNDED FURTHER AND THEN TURNED OVER TO ANOTHER SECTOR, SO REALLY DON'T KNOW IF RIGHT OR WRONG. MAYBE DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY COULD HAVE BEEN USED SUCH AS 'THIS SIDE OF PIE' OR 'ON THIS HDG, DSND TO CROSS 10 THIS SIDE OF PIE AT FL210,' AS WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ALT INSIDE THE MINEE2 ARR BEGINNING AT PIE. NO FURTHER INCIDENTS WERE NOTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 320765: ZJX ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS 10 N OF PIE AT FL210. THE CTLR COULD HAVE MEANT 10 MI NW OF PIE. SINCE WE WERE A WAY FROM NORMAL TOP OF DSCNT INTO MCO.

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.