Ambiguous situation wherein the pilot says he did not receive clearance and the controller says he d...

Attributes
ACN	132926
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : lga
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3950 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	132926
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation other

Narrative:

Tracking inbound on the runway 6 localizer at teb, 2000' MSL, was handed off to the local controller. Reported level 2000' upon call-up. Controller acknowledged. At the 6-8 DME out G/south needle was alive. Still not cleared for the approach. I asked the controller for the approach clearance. The controller responded that I had previously been assigned 1500' MSL and cleared and that I was in the ewr approach path, but no conflicts. Made successful approach to teb. Neither I nor PNF heard descent and approach clearance. I did not acknowledge or read back. Our encoder was working during this time. Controller did not call supposed altitude deviation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AMBIGUOUS SITUATION WHEREIN THE PLT SAYS HE DID NOT RECEIVE CLRNC AND THE CTLR SAYS HE DID.

Narrative: TRACKING INBND ON THE RWY 6 LOC AT TEB, 2000' MSL, WAS HANDED OFF TO THE LCL CTLR. RPTED LEVEL 2000' UPON CALL-UP. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED. AT THE 6-8 DME OUT G/S NEEDLE WAS ALIVE. STILL NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH. I ASKED THE CTLR FOR THE APCH CLRNC. THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ASSIGNED 1500' MSL AND CLRED AND THAT I WAS IN THE EWR APCH PATH, BUT NO CONFLICTS. MADE SUCCESSFUL APCH TO TEB. NEITHER I NOR PNF HEARD DSCNT AND APCH CLRNC. I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR READ BACK. OUR ENCODER WAS WORKING DURING THIS TIME. CTLR DID NOT CALL SUPPOSED ALT DEVIATION.

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.

Ambiguous situation wherein the pilot says he did not receive clearance and the controller says he did.