A DC9 crew, descending into ewr, missed an 'at or above' crossing restr on the arrival STAR.

Attributes
ACN	541107
Time
Date	200203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dqo.vortac
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : sgf.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : dylin one
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	541107
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon receipt of clearance to descend on dylin arrival, crew had briefed descent profile twice. Upon reaching kerno intersection, first officer (me) selected what both crew members thought to be the next crossing altitude in the altitude alerter and captain began descent. Descending through 17000 ft, ZDC called with 'say altitude.' I called 16000 ft. Center said to stop descent. Crew complied. Center then stated we should have crossed dupont VOR at or above FL220. Upon crossing dupont, I queried center if we should continue descent. Center's reply was to continue via dylin arrival. I told center that we had misread the arrival crossing. Center's reply was 'you aren't the first one to do that.' the dupont crossing restr is depicted in a different location with different designator arrow leading one to easily overlook it compared to the other intersection xings on the arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CREW, DSNDING INTO EWR, MISSED AN 'AT OR ABOVE' XING RESTR ON THE ARR STAR.

Narrative: UPON RECEIPT OF CLRNC TO DSND ON DYLIN ARR, CREW HAD BRIEFED DSCNT PROFILE TWICE. UPON REACHING KERNO INTXN, FO (ME) SELECTED WHAT BOTH CREW MEMBERS THOUGHT TO BE THE NEXT XING ALT IN THE ALT ALERTER AND CAPT BEGAN DSCNT. DSNDING THROUGH 17000 FT, ZDC CALLED WITH 'SAY ALT.' I CALLED 16000 FT. CTR SAID TO STOP DSCNT. CREW COMPLIED. CTR THEN STATED WE SHOULD HAVE CROSSED DUPONT VOR AT OR ABOVE FL220. UPON XING DUPONT, I QUERIED CTR IF WE SHOULD CONTINUE DSCNT. CTR'S REPLY WAS TO CONTINUE VIA DYLIN ARR. I TOLD CTR THAT WE HAD MISREAD THE ARR XING. CTR'S REPLY WAS 'YOU AREN'T THE FIRST ONE TO DO THAT.' THE DUPONT XING RESTR IS DEPICTED IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION WITH DIFFERENT DESIGNATOR ARROW LEADING ONE TO EASILY OVERLOOK IT COMPARED TO THE OTHER INTXN XINGS ON THE 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.