Approaching lax on the pdz 4 arrival route, a DA20 is only instructed to cross konzl at 17000 ft. A short time later the crew is asked by the ZLA controller why they haven't started a descent.

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Attributes
ACN	597958
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pdz.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : paradise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	597958
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar mode c other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Paradise 4 STAR runway 25L transition past tnp, we were given 'cross konzl intersection at 17000 ft, expect runway 25L transition.' normally when center wants you to follow the altitudes listed on the arrival, we are given 'you are cleared to descend via the arrival.' after passing trtle intersection (pdz 15 DME) we were quizzed about descending. ATC stated that we had been cleared, yet we were not. We only missed rifft intersection (pdz 9 DME) at 14000 ft, but were able to make all other assigned altitudes on the arrival. No complications or conflicts were reported. No phone calls to ATC were requested. The frequency was very busy, so we were unable to quiz ATC about not being given 'cleared to descend via the arrival.' I believe that only a misunderstanding of clearance given versus clearance received led to this issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCHING LAX ON THE PDZ 4 ARR RTE, A DA20 IS ONLY INSTRUCTED TO CROSS KONZL AT 17000 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER THE CREW IS ASKED BY THE ZLA CTLR WHY THEY HAVEN'T STARTED A DSCNT.

Narrative: PARADISE 4 STAR RWY 25L TRANSITION PAST TNP, WE WERE GIVEN 'CROSS KONZL INTXN AT 17000 FT, EXPECT RWY 25L TRANSITION.' NORMALLY WHEN CTR WANTS YOU TO FOLLOW THE ALTS LISTED ON THE ARR, WE ARE GIVEN 'YOU ARE CLRED TO DSND VIA THE ARR.' AFTER PASSING TRTLE INTXN (PDZ 15 DME) WE WERE QUIZZED ABOUT DSNDING. ATC STATED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED, YET WE WERE NOT. WE ONLY MISSED RIFFT INTXN (PDZ 9 DME) AT 14000 FT, BUT WERE ABLE TO MAKE ALL OTHER ASSIGNED ALTS ON THE ARR. NO COMPLICATIONS OR CONFLICTS WERE RPTED. NO PHONE CALLS TO ATC WERE REQUESTED. THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY, SO WE WERE UNABLE TO QUIZ ATC ABOUT NOT BEING GIVEN 'CLRED TO DSND VIA THE ARR.' I BELIEVE THAT ONLY A MISUNDERSTANDING OF CLRNC GIVEN VERSUS CLRNC RECEIVED LED TO THIS ISSUE.

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.