Narrative:

Cleared to cross psp at FL240, bands intersection, psp 258 degree, 21 DME at 14,000'. Descent was made at idle, nearly vmo, full speed brakes. We were unable to make the 21 DME at 14,000' and crossed at about 14,700' in a 1500 FPM descent rate which was reducing to insure a safe level off at 14,000'. We have consistently complained to ATC about this combination of crossing restrictions and supposedly were to be cleared at psp below FL240, but the controllers in the field don't seem to get the message. While we can visually make the 14,000' crossing, on this date, the airplane-wind conditions prevented compliance. We could have made a 360 degree turn at bands, but were switched to another controller and given a different assigned heading and altitude just at that time. At about 17,000' the controller noted the rate of descent and stated, 'I need the 14,000' at bands for traffic.' we replied that 'we were coming down at the fastest possible rate.' normal air carrier descent rates are 3 mi per 1000', so 24,000' to 14,000' should require about 30 mi. Note that those 2 crossing points are only 21 mi apart. This problem could be easily solved by making the psp crossing altitude FL200. We can visually get psp lower than FL240 if we ask, providing radio communication and cockpit duties do not conflict with a timely request. But the psp crossing should automatically be below FL240. This is the first time in perhaps 200 apches that the crossing was not possible, although many times it has been very close!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ALT DEVIATION CROSSING RESTRICTION NOT MET.

Narrative: CLRED TO CROSS PSP AT FL240, BANDS INTXN, PSP 258 DEG, 21 DME AT 14,000'. DSCNT WAS MADE AT IDLE, NEARLY VMO, FULL SPEED BRAKES. WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE THE 21 DME AT 14,000' AND CROSSED AT ABOUT 14,700' IN A 1500 FPM DSCNT RATE WHICH WAS REDUCING TO INSURE A SAFE LEVEL OFF AT 14,000'. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY COMPLAINED TO ATC ABOUT THIS COMBINATION OF XING RESTRICTIONS AND SUPPOSEDLY WERE TO BE CLRED AT PSP BELOW FL240, BUT THE CTLRS IN THE FIELD DON'T SEEM TO GET THE MESSAGE. WHILE WE CAN VISUALLY MAKE THE 14,000' XING, ON THIS DATE, THE AIRPLANE-WIND CONDITIONS PREVENTED COMPLIANCE. WE COULD HAVE MADE A 360 DEG TURN AT BANDS, BUT WERE SWITCHED TO ANOTHER CTLR AND GIVEN A DIFFERENT ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT JUST AT THAT TIME. AT ABOUT 17,000' THE CTLR NOTED THE RATE OF DSCNT AND STATED, 'I NEED THE 14,000' AT BANDS FOR TFC.' WE REPLIED THAT 'WE WERE COMING DOWN AT THE FASTEST POSSIBLE RATE.' NORMAL AIR CARRIER DSCNT RATES ARE 3 MI PER 1000', SO 24,000' TO 14,000' SHOULD REQUIRE ABOUT 30 MI. NOTE THAT THOSE 2 XING POINTS ARE ONLY 21 MI APART. THIS PROB COULD BE EASILY SOLVED BY MAKING THE PSP XING ALT FL200. WE CAN VISUALLY GET PSP LOWER THAN FL240 IF WE ASK, PROVIDING RADIO COM AND COCKPIT DUTIES DO NOT CONFLICT WITH A TIMELY REQUEST. BUT THE PSP XING SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE BELOW FL240. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN PERHAPS 200 APCHES THAT THE XING WAS NOT POSSIBLE, ALTHOUGH MANY TIMES IT HAS BEEN VERY CLOSE!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.