ALTDEV ALT XING RESTR -- FLC OF AN ACR MISINTERPRETED A XING RESTR ALT AS BEING AT OR BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING THE CIVET 1 ARR INTO LAX; WE; AN ACR; WERE ISSUED A CLRNC DIRECT TO ARNES APPROX 25 MI E OF ARNES. WITHIN 30 SECONDS; A SPD RESTR OF 210 KTS WAS GIVEN; WE COMPLIED. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER A 3RD CLRNC THAT WE INTERPRETED AS TO CROSS 13 MI E OF ARNES AT OR BELOW 14000 FT TO CROSS ARNES AT 10000 FT MSL. AT 18 MI E OF ARNES WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 12700 FT WHICH PROMPTED THE ATC CTLR TO STATE 'I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO CROSS 13 MI E OF ARNES AT 14000 FT TO CROSS ARNES AT 10000 FT.' PNF: 'WE THOUGHT YOU SAID AT OR BELOW 14000 FT; 13 MI E OF ARNES.' ATC THEN CLRED US TO 12000 FT FOLLOWED AGAIN BY A NEW CLRNC TO CROSS 7 MI E OF ARNES AT 12000 FT AND CROSS ARNES AT 10000 FT. WE THEN COMPLIED. ALL THE ABOVE CLRNCS WERE ISSUED WITH VERY SHORT NOTICE AND NOT A SINGLE EXPECT CLRNC AS IS OFTEN ISSUED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ATC DEVIATING FROM THE EXPECTED CIVET 1 ARR. UNUSUAL XING RESTR NOT NORMALLY USED OR EXPECTED DURING AN APCH INTO LAX. TOO MANY SHORT NOTICE CLRNCS ISSUED WITH VERY LITTLE TIME BTWN EACH OF THEM. THE CIVET 1 ARR OFFERS SEVERAL BTWN ALTS AND I THINK WE WERE MENTALLY PROGRAMMED TO RECEIVE A BTWN ALT CLRNC WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A HARD CLRNC.