Narrative:

We had been on sat approach and cleared from 8000' to 6000' and advised to switch to another frequency for further handling. After establishing radio contact, the new controller asked if we saw the field. Since the copilot was flying, I asked him if he saw the field to which he replied, 'yes, I do'. I had visual contact as well and responded, 'affirmative' to the controller. At this time, we believed the controller to have replied, 'roger, cleared for the visual approach'. I acknowledged and the copilot continued the descent. At approximately 5000' MSL, the controller asked for our altitude and I responded with our current altitude. The controller then cleared us to maintain 4000'. Puzzled, I asked the controller if he hadn't just previously cleared us for a visual. He said, 'negative, I told you to expect a visual approach'. Almost immediately afterward, we were cleared for a visual and landed uneventfully. I then called on the telephone to approach and was told that the person to whom I was speaking heard the entire evolution because he was 'checking him out on the position'. He concurred that we had indeed been given a visual clearance and would debrief the person to that effect.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WAS CLEARED FOR VISUAL APCH AND CONTINUED DESCENT WITH ARPT IN SIGHT. APCH CTLR THOUGHT HE HAD TOLD THE ACFT TO EXPECT A VISUAL WITH A 6000' ALT RESTRICTION.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN ON SAT APCH AND CLRED FROM 8000' TO 6000' AND ADVISED TO SWITCH TO ANOTHER FREQ FOR FURTHER HANDLING. AFTER ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT, THE NEW CTLR ASKED IF WE SAW THE FIELD. SINCE THE COPLT WAS FLYING, I ASKED HIM IF HE SAW THE FIELD TO WHICH HE REPLIED, 'YES, I DO'. I HAD VISUAL CONTACT AS WELL AND RESPONDED, 'AFFIRMATIVE' TO THE CTLR. AT THIS TIME, WE BELIEVED THE CTLR TO HAVE REPLIED, 'ROGER, CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH'. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND THE COPLT CONTINUED THE DSCNT. AT APPROX 5000' MSL, THE CTLR ASKED FOR OUR ALT AND I RESPONDED WITH OUR CURRENT ALT. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 4000'. PUZZLED, I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE HADN'T JUST PREVIOUSLY CLRED US FOR A VISUAL. HE SAID, 'NEGATIVE, I TOLD YOU TO EXPECT A VISUAL APCH'. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I THEN CALLED ON THE TELEPHONE TO APCH AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PERSON TO WHOM I WAS SPEAKING HEARD THE ENTIRE EVOLUTION BECAUSE HE WAS 'CHECKING HIM OUT ON THE POSITION'. HE CONCURRED THAT WE HAD INDEED BEEN GIVEN A VISUAL CLRNC AND WOULD DEBRIEF THE PERSON TO THAT EFFECT.

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.