Pilot did not make assigned crossing restr.

Attributes
ACN	463730
Time
Date	200002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 848
ASRS Report	463730
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 : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The controller told us to descend down to 11000 ft by 15 mi before the intersection, the descent was approximately 10000 ft in 25 mi. Although we tried hard to comply we were not able to reach 11000 ft in 25 mi. Some controllers do not understand that piston aircraft cannot descend as fast as jet aircraft. If you pull the throttle back in a piston from high altitude in the winter, you will create shock cooling and damage the cylinders. Also, piston aircraft have much lower turbulence penetration speeds than jets. This causes you to slow up your descent further. In this instance we were on a long trip and were with ZTL for a good amount of time. It would be helpful to pilots if the controllers would issue longer distances to descend rather than trying to rush pilots down most of the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DID NOT MAKE ASSIGNED XING RESTR.

Narrative: THE CTLR TOLD US TO DSND DOWN TO 11000 FT BY 15 MI BEFORE THE INTXN, THE DSCNT WAS APPROX 10000 FT IN 25 MI. ALTHOUGH WE TRIED HARD TO COMPLY WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REACH 11000 FT IN 25 MI. SOME CTLRS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT PISTON ACFT CANNOT DSND AS FAST AS JET ACFT. IF YOU PULL THE THROTTLE BACK IN A PISTON FROM HIGH ALT IN THE WINTER, YOU WILL CREATE SHOCK COOLING AND DAMAGE THE CYLINDERS. ALSO, PISTON ACFT HAVE MUCH LOWER TURB PENETRATION SPDS THAN JETS. THIS CAUSES YOU TO SLOW UP YOUR DSCNT FURTHER. IN THIS INSTANCE WE WERE ON A LONG TRIP AND WERE WITH ZTL FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO PLTS IF THE CTLRS WOULD ISSUE LONGER DISTANCES TO DSND RATHER THAN TRYING TO RUSH PLTS DOWN MOST OF THE TIME.

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.