A beech king air pilot crossed a fix above the assigned altitude near ttd.

Attributes
ACN	447711
Time
Date	199908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ttd.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2650 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	447711
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was issued an altitude crossing restr to cross 35 mi southeast of ttd airport at maintain 9000 ft MSL on a flight from rdm to ttd. After takeoff from rdm I was cleared to 16000 ft and direct to battle ground VOR. This route is not on an airway or STAR. Not being familiar with the local terrain, and considering that the nearest published route MEA was above 10000 ft MSL, I was hesitant to descend too early. Think haze made visibility poor. When I realized that I wouldn't make the crossing restr and informed ZSE, controller instructed to keep descending. I was asked to call center, which I did, and was told that my route was a head-on arrival/departure route to/from portland. I did explain an extra sensitivity on my part to terrain clearance since I fly almost exclusively east of the rockies. If this is such a busy inbound route to portland, make a STAR with MEA's or some guide for vertical navigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH KING AIR PLT CROSSED A FIX ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT NEAR TTD.

Narrative: I WAS ISSUED AN ALT XING RESTR TO CROSS 35 MI SE OF TTD ARPT AT MAINTAIN 9000 FT MSL ON A FLT FROM RDM TO TTD. AFTER TKOF FROM RDM I WAS CLRED TO 16000 FT AND DIRECT TO BATTLE GROUND VOR. THIS RTE IS NOT ON AN AIRWAY OR STAR. NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL TERRAIN, AND CONSIDERING THAT THE NEAREST PUBLISHED RTE MEA WAS ABOVE 10000 FT MSL, I WAS HESITANT TO DSND TOO EARLY. THINK HAZE MADE VISIBILITY POOR. WHEN I REALIZED THAT I WOULDN'T MAKE THE XING RESTR AND INFORMED ZSE, CTLR INSTRUCTED TO KEEP DSNDING. I WAS ASKED TO CALL CTR, WHICH I DID, AND WAS TOLD THAT MY RTE WAS A HEAD-ON ARR/DEP RTE TO/FROM PORTLAND. I DID EXPLAIN AN EXTRA SENSITIVITY ON MY PART TO TERRAIN CLRNC SINCE I FLY ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY E OF THE ROCKIES. IF THIS IS SUCH A BUSY INBOUND RTE TO PORTLAND, MAKE A STAR WITH MEA'S OR SOME GUIDE FOR VERT NAV.

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.