Air carrier large transport experiences clearance confusion while communicating with TRACON at stl.

Attributes
ACN	132379
Time
Date	198912
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	132379
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

A possible confusion occurred during approach to stl after the brush 1 arrival. We departed oddly intersection on a 210 degree heading 250 KTS and were cleared to 7000'. A minute or so later, after reaching 7000', we were cleared to 3500' for an approach to 30R (runway 30R ILS localizer). We left 7000' on our way to 3500' when clearance was changed to intercept the 30L ILS (frequency 111.5) and maintain 5000'. A turn to about 270 degrees was also given. The final controller then gave us traffic at our 12:30 position, and I saw the traffic and pointed it out to the captain. We were then given a clearance to intercept the lda to 30L (frequency 110.55) to level at 4500' and slow to 170 KTS. At that point I noticed we were at about 4350 and 210 KTS, so we leveled back at 4500' and slowed to 170 KTS. The visibility was very good at the time, and traffic was in sight at all times. There was some confusion at the time when we were cleared for a visibility approach, what altitude we were at when cleared back to 5000' after being cleared to 3500'. The constant changing back and forth from 1 runway to another and 3 different approachs and watching out for traffic (called/uncalled) is a problem at stl and seems to happen quite often.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT EXPERIENCES CLRNC CONFUSION WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH TRACON AT STL.

Narrative: A POSSIBLE CONFUSION OCCURRED DURING APCH TO STL AFTER THE BRUSH 1 ARR. WE DEPARTED ODDLY INTXN ON A 210 DEG HDG 250 KTS AND WERE CLRED TO 7000'. A MINUTE OR SO LATER, AFTER REACHING 7000', WE WERE CLRED TO 3500' FOR AN APCH TO 30R (RWY 30R ILS LOC). WE LEFT 7000' ON OUR WAY TO 3500' WHEN CLRNC WAS CHANGED TO INTERCEPT THE 30L ILS (FREQ 111.5) AND MAINTAIN 5000'. A TURN TO ABOUT 270 DEGS WAS ALSO GIVEN. THE FINAL CTLR THEN GAVE US TFC AT OUR 12:30 POS, AND I SAW THE TFC AND POINTED IT OUT TO THE CAPT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE LDA TO 30L (FREQ 110.55) TO LEVEL AT 4500' AND SLOW TO 170 KTS. AT THAT POINT I NOTICED WE WERE AT ABOUT 4350 AND 210 KTS, SO WE LEVELED BACK AT 4500' AND SLOWED TO 170 KTS. THE VISIBILITY WAS VERY GOOD AT THE TIME, AND TFC WAS IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AT THE TIME WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR A VIS APCH, WHAT ALT WE WERE AT WHEN CLRED BACK TO 5000' AFTER BEING CLRED TO 3500'. THE CONSTANT CHANGING BACK AND FORTH FROM 1 RWY TO ANOTHER AND 3 DIFFERENT APCHS AND WATCHING OUT FOR TFC (CALLED/UNCALLED) IS A PROB AT STL AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN.

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.