Narrative:

Was on an IFR flight plan from sql to bur at 9000 ft. At lake hughes VOR, began execution of the lynxx 7 arrival, turning to 170 degrees and commencing descent to 7800 ft within 5 DME as depicted on the STAR. At about 7800 ft, the controller asked what I was doing. I responded that I was executing the lynxx 7 arrival. He advised that I was to remain at the assigned altitude (9000 ft) until told to descend by a controller, that I was treating the STAR as a profile descent which was not authority/authorized. I then climbed back to 9000 ft and the flight continued to destination without further incident. Flying from small twred and non twred airports, I have used sids occasionally but not stars, hence, I reviewed the lynxx 7 arrival carefully before the flight, including the definition from the commercial chart manual and a book on instrument flight. Commercial chart defines a STAR as 'a preplanned instrument flight rule ATC arrival procedure published for pilot use in graphic and/or textual form. Stars provide transition from the en route structure to an outer fix or an instrument approach....' the book states, 'the STAR provides rtes and altitudes from the en route structure to the airport.' nowhere on a SID or STAR is an instruction to remain at an assigned altitude until told otherwise by a controller. Since my clearance had included the lynxx 7 arrival, I thought that I was supposed to execute the published procedure. This experience has taught me otherwise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT FLYING A CE182RG FOLLOWS A STAR BUT DSNDS AT HIS OWN DISCRETION. HE CONFUSES THE STAR INTO THE LAX, CA, AREA WITH A PROFILE DSCNT.

Narrative: WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SQL TO BUR AT 9000 FT. AT LAKE HUGHES VOR, BEGAN EXECUTION OF THE LYNXX 7 ARR, TURNING TO 170 DEGS AND COMMENCING DSCNT TO 7800 FT WITHIN 5 DME AS DEPICTED ON THE STAR. AT ABOUT 7800 FT, THE CTLR ASKED WHAT I WAS DOING. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS EXECUTING THE LYNXX 7 ARR. HE ADVISED THAT I WAS TO REMAIN AT THE ASSIGNED ALT (9000 FT) UNTIL TOLD TO DSND BY A CTLR, THAT I WAS TREATING THE STAR AS A PROFILE DSCNT WHICH WAS NOT AUTH. I THEN CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. FLYING FROM SMALL TWRED AND NON TWRED ARPTS, I HAVE USED SIDS OCCASIONALLY BUT NOT STARS, HENCE, I REVIEWED THE LYNXX 7 ARR CAREFULLY BEFORE THE FLT, INCLUDING THE DEFINITION FROM THE COMMERCIAL CHART MANUAL AND A BOOK ON INST FLT. COMMERCIAL CHART DEFINES A STAR AS 'A PREPLANNED INST FLT RULE ATC ARR PROC PUBLISHED FOR PLT USE IN GRAPHIC AND/OR TEXTUAL FORM. STARS PROVIDE TRANSITION FROM THE ENRTE STRUCTURE TO AN OUTER FIX OR AN INST APCH....' THE BOOK STATES, 'THE STAR PROVIDES RTES AND ALTS FROM THE ENRTE STRUCTURE TO THE ARPT.' NOWHERE ON A SID OR STAR IS AN INSTRUCTION TO REMAIN AT AN ASSIGNED ALT UNTIL TOLD OTHERWISE BY A CTLR. SINCE MY CLRNC HAD INCLUDED THE LYNXX 7 ARR, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO EXECUTE THE PUBLISHED PROC. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME OTHERWISE.

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.