EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Chart Or Publication; Procedure; Human Factors
On LINNG 3 Arrival for Runway 24R; we were approaching LINNG when YYZ arrival gave us a clearance to 'descend and maintain 8;000 FT.' Although the next fix; YOUTH; shows a box that says 'between 13;000 FT and 11;000 FT'; we proceeded down to 8;000 FT as we did not receive a 'descend via' clearance; and as so believed we were required to descend all the way to 8;000. Only after crossing YOUTH at about 10;000 FT in our descent to 8;000 FT; we noticed the #3 note on the top of the chart that says 'When a lower altitude is issued; pilots shall descend on the STAR profile to the ATC assigned altitude. Charted restrictions above the assigned altitude remain mandatory.' The ATC controller didn't mention anything to us about crossing YOUTH below 11;000 FT; but from that point on we crossed all altitudes in accordance with the published arrival altitudes. In US airspace; this profile would be phrased as a 'descend via' clearance if higher altitudes were to be crossed before going down to the ATC assigned altitude; but it appears this is not the case in Canada according to the chart. I believe this is a new procedure on the YYZ arrivals effective FEB 2012 according to the chart; as I have never encountered this situation before on YYZ arrivals.Better examination/briefing of the notes on the arrival chart before starting the arrival; also; better understanding of differences in Canadian ATC clearances.
An ERJ-170 flight crew descending on the LINNG STAR to 24R at CYYZ failed to comply with the required crossing altitude restriction between 13;000 and 11;000 at YOUTH when cleared to descend to 8;000 MSL. Only after descending below 11;000 did they read the chart note explaining the difference between US and Canadian descent clearances on STARs.