Air carrier given confusing clearance with second aircraft on descent into lga.

Attributes
ACN	188010
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ign
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	188010
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

New york center cleared our flight from FL280 to 10000 ft and 250 KTS at valre intersection. We had not been cleared for the extol 1 arrival. Passing 12000 ft center called slow moving traffic at 12 O'clock, 10500 ft, 5 mi. At 10800 ft and descending center told us to stop descent at 11000 ft (apparently previously called traffic would not be clear of our flight path). We now questioned the controller whether he wanted us to climb back up to 11000 ft or continue on original clearance to 10000 ft. We were now at 10500 ft with all eyes outside looking for a target we thought had cleared out of our path. Center's reply was to continue to 10000 ft the traffic would pass off our right, intercept J37 south of ign, and change to new york approach control frequency. New york approach control informed us we had missed our turn onto the dpk 336 degree radial and our speed should be 250 KTS, when in fact the previous controller had cancelled the 'never given extol 1 arrival' by giving us 'intercept J37 south of ign'. Contributing factors: new york center had apparently gotten distraction and was late giving us a level off to avoid traffic. In the confusion he then cleared us J37 rather than the extol 1 arrival and did not tell new york approach what he had done.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR GIVEN CONFUSING CLRNC WITH SECOND ACFT ON DSCNT INTO LGA.

Narrative: NEW YORK CENTER CLRED OUR FLT FROM FL280 TO 10000 FT AND 250 KTS AT VALRE INTXN. WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR THE EXTOL 1 ARR. PASSING 12000 FT CENTER CALLED SLOW MOVING TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 10500 FT, 5 MI. AT 10800 FT AND DSNDING CENTER TOLD US TO STOP DSCNT AT 11000 FT (APPARENTLY PREVIOUSLY CALLED TFC WOULD NOT BE CLR OF OUR FLT PATH). WE NOW QUESTIONED THE CTLR WHETHER HE WANTED US TO CLB BACK UP TO 11000 FT OR CONTINUE ON ORIGINAL CLRNC TO 10000 FT. WE WERE NOW AT 10500 FT WITH ALL EYES OUTSIDE LOOKING FOR A TARGET WE THOUGHT HAD CLRED OUT OF OUR PATH. CENTER'S REPLY WAS TO CONTINUE TO 10000 FT THE TFC WOULD PASS OFF OUR R, INTERCEPT J37 S OF IGN, AND CHANGE TO NEW YORK APCH CTL FREQ. NEW YORK APCH CTL INFORMED US WE HAD MISSED OUR TURN ONTO THE DPK 336 DEG RADIAL AND OUR SPD SHOULD BE 250 KTS, WHEN IN FACT THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD CANCELLED THE 'NEVER GIVEN EXTOL 1 ARR' BY GIVING US 'INTERCEPT J37 S OF IGN'. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NEW YORK CENTER HAD APPARENTLY GOTTEN DISTR AND WAS LATE GIVING US A LEVEL OFF TO AVOID TFC. IN THE CONFUSION HE THEN CLRED US J37 RATHER THAN THE EXTOL 1 ARR AND DID NOT TELL NEW YORK APCH WHAT HE HAD DONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.