Narrative:

While flying at FL310 on the buntr 1 arrival at a point between gup and slidr, we were vectored off course to the north on a heading of 275 degrees (which was approximately a 62 degree turn). At a point nearly abeam slidr we were cleared to fly direct to slidr to join the buntr arrival. (I pressed the direct key and line selected slidr on the mcdu.) the plane turned toward slidr and the navigation display showed a large s-turn with the aircraft wanting to reverse course to get to slidr. As we got closer to slidr, the navigation display showed a turn prior to the intersection (which I believed to be normal for the airbus). Trying to comply with center's clearance, and after assessing the requested clearance, I had concern over the fact that my aircraft was turning prior to slide intersection. It became apparent that my aircraft was incapable of proceeding direct to slidr and I was ready to advise center but was unable to do so due to frequency congestion. Simultaneous to this concern, as we were joining the arrival, ZAB gave us a frequency change. After waiting to check in on the new frequency due to high volume, we were given a vector of 225 degrees south of the course. We continued on vectors most of the way into phx and upon landing were told to call ZAB. I spoke to the manager of ZAB (on the phone) wherein he asked why my aircraft had not flown directly over slidr intersection. After reviewing the circumstances, it is my opinion that center should not have presented us with a direct clearance to slidr due to our assigned speed and position which was virtually past the stated intersection, thus physically incapable of complying with the clearance as requested. At the point that I became aware of this, again I was unable to advise due to the simultaneous frequency change and congestion on the radio.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING AT FL310 ON THE BUNTR 1 ARR AT A POINT BTWN GUP AND SLIDR, WE WERE VECTORED OFF COURSE TO THE N ON A HDG OF 275 DEGS (WHICH WAS APPROX A 62 DEG TURN). AT A POINT NEARLY ABEAM SLIDR WE WERE CLRED TO FLY DIRECT TO SLIDR TO JOIN THE BUNTR ARR. (I PRESSED THE DIRECT KEY AND LINE SELECTED SLIDR ON THE MCDU.) THE PLANE TURNED TOWARD SLIDR AND THE NAV DISPLAY SHOWED A LARGE S-TURN WITH THE ACFT WANTING TO REVERSE COURSE TO GET TO SLIDR. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO SLIDR, THE NAV DISPLAY SHOWED A TURN PRIOR TO THE INTXN (WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE NORMAL FOR THE AIRBUS). TRYING TO COMPLY WITH CTR'S CLRNC, AND AFTER ASSESSING THE REQUESTED CLRNC, I HAD CONCERN OVER THE FACT THAT MY ACFT WAS TURNING PRIOR TO SLIDE INTXN. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT MY ACFT WAS INCAPABLE OF PROCEEDING DIRECT TO SLIDR AND I WAS READY TO ADVISE CTR BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. SIMULTANEOUS TO THIS CONCERN, AS WE WERE JOINING THE ARR, ZAB GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AFTER WAITING TO CHK IN ON THE NEW FREQ DUE TO HIGH VOLUME, WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR OF 225 DEGS S OF THE COURSE. WE CONTINUED ON VECTORS MOST OF THE WAY INTO PHX AND UPON LNDG WERE TOLD TO CALL ZAB. I SPOKE TO THE MGR OF ZAB (ON THE PHONE) WHEREIN HE ASKED WHY MY ACFT HAD NOT FLOWN DIRECTLY OVER SLIDR INTXN. AFTER REVIEWING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS MY OPINION THAT CTR SHOULD NOT HAVE PRESENTED US WITH A DIRECT CLRNC TO SLIDR DUE TO OUR ASSIGNED SPD AND POS WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY PAST THE STATED INTXN, THUS PHYSICALLY INCAPABLE OF COMPLYING WITH THE CLRNC AS REQUESTED. AT THE POINT THAT I BECAME AWARE OF THIS, AGAIN I WAS UNABLE TO ADVISE DUE TO THE SIMULTANEOUS FREQ CHANGE AND CONGESTION ON THE RADIO.

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.