Narrative:

We were given numerous short distance, small altitude change restrs. We had met the previous restrs and were at 12000 ft when given a garbled restr. 'Cross 5 mi (5 mi, we thought) of bwi at 10000 ft.' we were 15 NM north of bwi at the time and at 12000 ft. We asked the controller to repeat the restr and both thought she said 5 NM south of bwi. When we were at 10700 ft, the controller called back to tell us we were approximately 5 mi and needed to be at 10000 ft. We again answered 5 mi south and she said 'I told you on the readback '5 mi north.'' neither of us understood 5 mi north was the crossing. Her voice was garbled and difficult to understand. I felt she should have asked us to expedite as she gave us the clearance too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW DOES NOT CHALLENGE GARBLED BWI APCH INTXN XING CLRNC RESTR AND IS CHALLENGED BY THE CTLR WHEN THE RESTR IS NOT COMPLIED WITH.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN NUMEROUS SHORT DISTANCE, SMALL ALT CHANGE RESTRS. WE HAD MET THE PREVIOUS RESTRS AND WERE AT 12000 FT WHEN GIVEN A GARBLED RESTR. 'CROSS 5 MI (5 MI, WE THOUGHT) OF BWI AT 10000 FT.' WE WERE 15 NM N OF BWI AT THE TIME AND AT 12000 FT. WE ASKED THE CTLR TO REPEAT THE RESTR AND BOTH THOUGHT SHE SAID 5 NM S OF BWI. WHEN WE WERE AT 10700 FT, THE CTLR CALLED BACK TO TELL US WE WERE APPROX 5 MI AND NEEDED TO BE AT 10000 FT. WE AGAIN ANSWERED 5 MI S AND SHE SAID 'I TOLD YOU ON THE READBACK '5 MI N.'' NEITHER OF US UNDERSTOOD 5 MI N WAS THE XING. HER VOICE WAS GARBLED AND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. I FELT SHE SHOULD HAVE ASKED US TO EXPEDITE AS SHE GAVE US THE CLRNC TOO LATE.

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.