Center controller issues crossing restr to fix readback by flight crew. Controller later indicates clearance was to a different fix. Flight crew indicates readback was to original fix. Controller issues new clearance. Complaint regarding the 'expected' altitudes which are often not used on arrs. This is very confusing to flight crew.

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Attributes
ACN	374260
Time
Date	199707
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fjc
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : ewr
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 other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	374260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on milton one arrival on flight X from ind-lga, ZNY issued descent clearance to flight X to cross beuty intersection at 13000 ft. This clearance was acknowledged and read back. We were at FL190 at the time. 5 mi before vibes intersection, center asked our altitude. We replied FL190. He indicated he had cleared us to cross vibes at 13000 ft. We said negative, the clearance was to cross beuty at 13000 ft and this was read back. Controller said roger and gave us a descending 360 degree turn to cross vibes at 13000 ft. No further comment made by ATC. This incident occurred because of the business of the center controller and the 'busy' nature of this STAR. Its use of expected crossing restrs is confusing to all because the actual crossing clrncs are so often different than expected. On our approach, for example, we crossed marrc at FL190 instead of the 'expected' FL180 in the STAR. Too busy a STAR, too busy a controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTR CTLR ISSUES XING RESTR TO FIX READBACK BY FLC. CTLR LATER INDICATES CLRNC WAS TO A DIFFERENT FIX. FLC INDICATES READBACK WAS TO ORIGINAL FIX. CTLR ISSUES NEW CLRNC. COMPLAINT REGARDING THE 'EXPECTED' ALTS WHICH ARE OFTEN NOT USED ON ARRS. THIS IS VERY CONFUSING TO FLC.

Narrative: WHILE ON MILTON ONE ARR ON FLT X FROM IND-LGA, ZNY ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO FLT X TO CROSS BEUTY INTXN AT 13000 FT. THIS CLRNC WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ BACK. WE WERE AT FL190 AT THE TIME. 5 MI BEFORE VIBES INTXN, CTR ASKED OUR ALT. WE REPLIED FL190. HE INDICATED HE HAD CLRED US TO CROSS VIBES AT 13000 FT. WE SAID NEGATIVE, THE CLRNC WAS TO CROSS BEUTY AT 13000 FT AND THIS WAS READ BACK. CTLR SAID ROGER AND GAVE US A DSNDING 360 DEG TURN TO CROSS VIBES AT 13000 FT. NO FURTHER COMMENT MADE BY ATC. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE CTR CTLR AND THE 'BUSY' NATURE OF THIS STAR. ITS USE OF EXPECTED XING RESTRS IS CONFUSING TO ALL BECAUSE THE ACTUAL XING CLRNCS ARE SO OFTEN DIFFERENT THAN EXPECTED. ON OUR APCH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CROSSED MARRC AT FL190 INSTEAD OF THE 'EXPECTED' FL180 IN THE STAR. TOO BUSY A STAR, TOO BUSY A CTLR.

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.