Narrative:

This was my second arrival into ord today and the first officer was flying. I have been based at ord for the past 2 yrs and am familiar with approach control and their routings. Approach was very busy at the time, which is normal, and said to us, 'air carrier X turn right 180 degrees. I read that clearance back and then he said, 'slow to 180 KTS you're following an air carrier X 757 at 12 O'clock.' I believe I answered '180 KTS air carrier X.' I turned to the first officer and made a comment about not calling the 757 in sight so we could get some more distance between us because of the wake turbulence. So I don't believe I acknowledged cleared for a visual approach to runway 27R. I have landed behind a 757 several times and when the spacing is tight and winds are just right is very uncomfortable. When it looked like we might pass through the runway 27R centerline I tried to clarify our clearance. Approach was so busy I could not query the controller in time. When I did call him he answered, 'descend to 3000 ft and turn right 310 degrees, and air carrier X I cleared you for the visual to runway 27R when I gave you the 180 KTS and you acknowledged the clearance.' I then acknowledged 'descend to 3000 ft and turn right 310 degrees and I was never cleared for the visual.' at this point I said to myself someone made a mistake let's not argue over the radio - let's fly the airplane and put it on the ground and worry about it later. He gave me a couple more instructions and as he handed me off to tower he said 'sorry about the misunderstanding.' my reply was 'mistakes happen don't worry about it.' I and he will be more diligent in the future. I do not know if he cleared me for the visual prior or not. Also the first officer did not hear cleared for the visual. Lesson learned: listen upon the radio. And if there is a question ask it as soon as possible because you may not have a chance later.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC VISUAL APCH WENT THROUGH FINAL APCH MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL RWYS.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY SECOND ARR INTO ORD TODAY AND THE FO WAS FLYING. I HAVE BEEN BASED AT ORD FOR THE PAST 2 YRS AND AM FAMILIAR WITH APCH CTL AND THEIR ROUTINGS. APCH WAS VERY BUSY AT THE TIME, WHICH IS NORMAL, AND SAID TO US, 'ACR X TURN R 180 DEGS. I READ THAT CLRNC BACK AND THEN HE SAID, 'SLOW TO 180 KTS YOU'RE FOLLOWING AN ACR X 757 AT 12 O'CLOCK.' I BELIEVE I ANSWERED '180 KTS ACR X.' I TURNED TO THE FO AND MADE A COMMENT ABOUT NOT CALLING THE 757 IN SIGHT SO WE COULD GET SOME MORE DISTANCE BTWN US BECAUSE OF THE WAKE TURB. SO I DON'T BELIEVE I ACKNOWLEDGED CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 27R. I HAVE LANDED BEHIND A 757 SEVERAL TIMES AND WHEN THE SPACING IS TIGHT AND WINDS ARE JUST RIGHT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE WE MIGHT PASS THROUGH THE RWY 27R CTRLINE I TRIED TO CLARIFY OUR CLRNC. APCH WAS SO BUSY I COULD NOT QUERY THE CTLR IN TIME. WHEN I DID CALL HIM HE ANSWERED, 'DSND TO 3000 FT AND TURN R 310 DEGS, AND ACR X I CLRED YOU FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 27R WHEN I GAVE YOU THE 180 KTS AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC.' I THEN ACKNOWLEDGED 'DSND TO 3000 FT AND TURN RIGHT 310 DEGS AND I WAS NEVER CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' AT THIS POINT I SAID TO MYSELF SOMEONE MADE A MISTAKE LET'S NOT ARGUE OVER THE RADIO - LET'S FLY THE AIRPLANE AND PUT IT ON THE GND AND WORRY ABOUT IT LATER. HE GAVE ME A COUPLE MORE INSTRUCTIONS AND AS HE HANDED ME OFF TO TWR HE SAID 'SORRY ABOUT THE MISUNDERSTANDING.' MY REPLY WAS 'MISTAKES HAPPEN DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.' I AND HE WILL BE MORE DILIGENT IN THE FUTURE. I DO NOT KNOW IF HE CLRED ME FOR THE VISUAL PRIOR OR NOT. ALSO THE FO DID NOT HEAR CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. LESSON LEARNED: LISTEN UPON THE RADIO. AND IF THERE IS A QUESTION ASK IT ASAP BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT HAVE A CHANCE LATER.

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.