An air carrier B727 flight crew has their STAR clearance changed several times as the WX and traffic...

Attributes
ACN	387065
Time
Date	199711
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	387065
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	386648
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While on arrival to lax we were 'cleared to descend via the civet one arrival.' as we were approaching civet, the first altitude restr, we were told to expect the mudde two and 'should review it.' it is similar to the civet one and we were expecting a descend via clearance for the mudde two. Shortly after we were told not to expect the mudde two and were told to continue descent via the civet one. Shortly after this we were cleared for the reedr three arrival and expect the approach to runway 7R. This arrival doesn't utilize a 'descend via' clearance. I didn't immediately realize this. After reviewing the 3 previously cleared/expected arrival procedures I was prepared for another descend via clearance. We were cleared to cross baset at 10000 ft at 250 KTS. I had just gotten the reedr arrival and the ILS to runway 7R out to review them. I quickly glanced at it to check the DME of the just received clearance and noticed I would have to hurry down to make the restr. Shortly after leveling we crossed baset. The captain stated we were cleared to descend to meet the next restr. I glanced at the STAR to confirm the altitude and DME of the next fix. The altitude, which was in bold print, stood out and was easy to confirm quickly. What I failed to see in the quick glance was the note to 'expect' this altitude. 'Expect' was not in bold print as it is on other stars at other airports. At approximately 9500 ft the controller said, we should still be at 10000 ft, but to go ahead and descend to 9000 ft, since there was no traffic conflict. A few mins later we heard the same controller tell another aircraft he wasn't cleared out of 10000 ft, but to level at 9000 ft. I guess we weren't the only ones confused by the multiple clrncs. It would have been helpful to have enough time to thoroughly review the STAR before being cleared for it. It also might have helped if 'expect' would have been in bold print, like the altitude. Especially at an airport that commonly uses 'descend via' clrncs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727 FLC HAS THEIR STAR CLRNC CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES AS THE WX AND TFC SIT CHANGED. THE LAST STAR ASSIGNED HAD 'EXPECT' CLRNC ALT VERSUS 'CROSS' AT ALT AT DESIGNATED POINTS. THE FLC MISSED THE 'EXPECT' NOTATION AND STARTED DOWN WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ON ARR TO LAX WE WERE 'CLRED TO DSND VIA THE CIVET ONE ARR.' AS WE WERE APCHING CIVET, THE FIRST ALT RESTR, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT THE MUDDE TWO AND 'SHOULD REVIEW IT.' IT IS SIMILAR TO THE CIVET ONE AND WE WERE EXPECTING A DSND VIA CLRNC FOR THE MUDDE TWO. SHORTLY AFTER WE WERE TOLD NOT TO EXPECT THE MUDDE TWO AND WERE TOLD TO CONTINUE DSCNT VIA THE CIVET ONE. SHORTLY AFTER THIS WE WERE CLRED FOR THE REEDR THREE ARR AND EXPECT THE APCH TO RWY 7R. THIS ARR DOESN'T UTILIZE A 'DSND VIA' CLRNC. I DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY REALIZE THIS. AFTER REVIEWING THE 3 PREVIOUSLY CLRED/EXPECTED ARR PROCS I WAS PREPARED FOR ANOTHER DSND VIA CLRNC. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS BASET AT 10000 FT AT 250 KTS. I HAD JUST GOTTEN THE REEDR ARR AND THE ILS TO RWY 7R OUT TO REVIEW THEM. I QUICKLY GLANCED AT IT TO CHK THE DME OF THE JUST RECEIVED CLRNC AND NOTICED I WOULD HAVE TO HURRY DOWN TO MAKE THE RESTR. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING WE CROSSED BASET. THE CAPT STATED WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO MEET THE NEXT RESTR. I GLANCED AT THE STAR TO CONFIRM THE ALT AND DME OF THE NEXT FIX. THE ALT, WHICH WAS IN BOLD PRINT, STOOD OUT AND WAS EASY TO CONFIRM QUICKLY. WHAT I FAILED TO SEE IN THE QUICK GLANCE WAS THE NOTE TO 'EXPECT' THIS ALT. 'EXPECT' WAS NOT IN BOLD PRINT AS IT IS ON OTHER STARS AT OTHER ARPTS. AT APPROX 9500 FT THE CTLR SAID, WE SHOULD STILL BE AT 10000 FT, BUT TO GO AHEAD AND DSND TO 9000 FT, SINCE THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT. A FEW MINS LATER WE HEARD THE SAME CTLR TELL ANOTHER ACFT HE WASN'T CLRED OUT OF 10000 FT, BUT TO LEVEL AT 9000 FT. I GUESS WE WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES CONFUSED BY THE MULTIPLE CLRNCS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE STAR BEFORE BEING CLRED FOR IT. IT ALSO MIGHT HAVE HELPED IF 'EXPECT' WOULD HAVE BEEN IN BOLD PRINT, LIKE THE ALT. ESPECIALLY AT AN ARPT THAT COMMONLY USES 'DSND VIA' CLRNCS.

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.