Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 70; Flight Crew Total 8580; Flight Crew Type 100
Workload; Training / Qualification; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Chart Or Publication; Procedure
Enroute to PDX. We had filed direct BONVL.BONVL 7 Arrival into PDX. Approaching the PDX area we were recleared to the HHOOD1 Arrival. As we established on the HHOOD1; we were recleared to descend via the arrival. The pilot not flying requested expected runway and the Controller could not provide the information in detail. The pilot not flying also went to the ATIS and was given non specific information. He was trying to load the information into the NAV System for the arrival and wanted the runway information so he could complete the data entry. As pilot flying; upon crossing JOTBA I continued the descent below FL240. The pilot not flying questioned if this was a correct descent so I stopped the descent while we reviewed the procedure and agreed upon our position. (I believe the pilot not flying had become slightly unaware of our position on the arrival while trying to determine the anticipated arrival runway.) We discussed the situation and agreed that we did need to descend. The Controller then queried if we were descending. As we descended toward HHOOD we felt we would not be able to comply with the altitude requirement; so we notified ATC. ATC then issued vectors and altitude changes for the balance of the flight.I believe the root cause was that we were given a completely different arrival with minimal time to properly review and brief the procedure. Contributing factors included: A confusing format for the arrival procedure in the STAR Plate. The Controller was unable to provide the requested runway information. Also; we have flown very few actual RNAV Arrivals following the Descent Procedure. Coupling this with minimal time to transition from a very standard arrival to a much more demanding arrival. Also; once in the Terminal area we still were never assigned a runway. Controller told us to proceed direct to a fix on the ILS 28R. We queried again regarding runway assignment and were then given 28R.Basically given the situation; we should have refused to accept the HHOOD arrival. Also a clearer format for the Arrival would be very helpful. We have spent considerable time as a crew reviewing this particular arrival as well [as] arrivals with descents in general to be better prepared in the future. We are also requesting additional training from our Training Provider on our scheduled recurrent training.
[Narrative #2 contains no additional information]
A flight crew on the BONVL 7 Arrival was transitioned to the HHOOD RNAV but not given an arrival runway at PDX. The crew was reluctant to descend because the FMS programming could not be completed without the Runway.