Narrative:

Inbound to lax on the pdz 3 arrival, we were given konzl at 17000 ft. Crossing konzl we were given a frequency change that was garbled/walked on. I called back 3 times before the controller would confirm the frequency. Switching over, we were cleared via the profile descent. By now the trtle crossing restr was coming up and we were behind the descent profile. The first officer flying initiated the descent, but I had to come on the yoke and push over aggressively to try to make the trtle restr at 16000 ft MSL. I estimate we were 200-300 ft high passing trtle. There were 2 distinct factors that combined to lead to the problem. 1) communications. Overall radio communications via ATC has deteriorated to the point I sincerely feel is a negative safety factor. The 3 attempts to clarify the proper frequency cost 3-5 NM, which led to the late clearance for the profile descent. We had approximately 3 M to make the descent after receiving the descent clearance. 2) although the FMC was programmed for the crossing restr properly, the first officer had no sense of urgency or position awareness during the descent initiation. He had posted the latest change for the pdz 3 arrival which showed trtle at or above 16000 ft MSL. However, that change was not effective for another 8 days. I had the properly dated chart out to monitor the arrival, but due to working the radio, I was 1-2 mi slow to realize the first officer wasn't following the VNAV information (trtle at 16000 ft MSL) due to the at or above modification in the pdz 4 arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE DSCNT CLRNC IS ACCEPTED AND XING RESTR IS NOT MET ON ARR TO LAX, CA.

Narrative: INBOUND TO LAX ON THE PDZ 3 ARR, WE WERE GIVEN KONZL AT 17000 FT. XING KONZL WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE THAT WAS GARBLED/WALKED ON. I CALLED BACK 3 TIMES BEFORE THE CTLR WOULD CONFIRM THE FREQ. SWITCHING OVER, WE WERE CLRED VIA THE PROFILE DSCNT. BY NOW THE TRTLE XING RESTR WAS COMING UP AND WE WERE BEHIND THE DSCNT PROFILE. THE FO FLYING INITIATED THE DSCNT, BUT I HAD TO COME ON THE YOKE AND PUSH OVER AGGRESSIVELY TO TRY TO MAKE THE TRTLE RESTR AT 16000 FT MSL. I ESTIMATE WE WERE 200-300 FT HIGH PASSING TRTLE. THERE WERE 2 DISTINCT FACTORS THAT COMBINED TO LEAD TO THE PROB. 1) COMS. OVERALL RADIO COMS VIA ATC HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT I SINCERELY FEEL IS A NEGATIVE SAFETY FACTOR. THE 3 ATTEMPTS TO CLARIFY THE PROPER FREQ COST 3-5 NM, WHICH LED TO THE LATE CLRNC FOR THE PROFILE DSCNT. WE HAD APPROX 3 M TO MAKE THE DSCNT AFTER RECEIVING THE DSCNT CLRNC. 2) ALTHOUGH THE FMC WAS PROGRAMMED FOR THE XING RESTR PROPERLY, THE FO HAD NO SENSE OF URGENCY OR POS AWARENESS DURING THE DSCNT INITIATION. HE HAD POSTED THE LATEST CHANGE FOR THE PDZ 3 ARR WHICH SHOWED TRTLE AT OR ABOVE 16000 FT MSL. HOWEVER, THAT CHANGE WAS NOT EFFECTIVE FOR ANOTHER 8 DAYS. I HAD THE PROPERLY DATED CHART OUT TO MONITOR THE ARR, BUT DUE TO WORKING THE RADIO, I WAS 1-2 MI SLOW TO REALIZE THE FO WASN'T FOLLOWING THE VNAV INFO (TRTLE AT 16000 FT MSL) DUE TO THE AT OR ABOVE MODIFICATION IN THE PDZ 4 ARR.

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.