Narrative:

Possible misunderstanding between ATC and crew regarding clearance. ATC expected crew to make visual approach (report airport in sight) despite being on top with no further descent possible, short of executing an approach. Non radar environment left no choice except full approach, but same was not expected by ATC for some reason. Final ATC facility was not aware of 'direct' clearance given by prior ATC. Suggestion: in non radar environment, pilots should be prepared for full, non radar procedures and not accept wandering around in an off-airway environment without MEA's or other information. ATC should not expect airline crews to be intimately familiar with local procedures, as they could be new to the area on every flight. Lastly, lead flight attendant forgot customs package, and had to return to gate for same. Gate agent should have also caught her mistake...(procedures?). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: when the B757 flight crew received a visual approach clearance about 40 NM to the west, they told the controller unable unless they could receive vectors, since they had a cloud deck below. The controller said no, but didn't seem to understand why the crew needed to fly the full approach. The captain insisted on the full approach into runway 9, in spite of controller's insistence on a visual approach. The disagreement continued during the descent and close to the airport. The reporter states that if ATC is going to insist on straight-in visual approachs into sxm, then they should have a published arrival route that allows descent to an IAF for a straight-in approach, in a non radar environment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE INBOUND TO THE ST MAARTEN ARPT, A B757 FLC RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM SAN JUAN CTR TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE PJM VOR. AT APPROX 40 NM FROM THE ARPT THE APCH CTLR GAVE THE FLC A CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH, BUT THEY WERE ON TOP OF A CLOUD DECK AND COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. A DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE FLC'S INABILITY TO DSND VISUALLY CONTINUED WHILE THE ACFT WAS AT 2500 FT AND THE FLC WAS INTO A HVY COCKPIT WORKLOAD PERIOD. THE RPTR CLAIMS THAT PUBLISHED PROCS DO NOT MATCH ATC PROCS.

Narrative: POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN ATC AND CREW REGARDING CLRNC. ATC EXPECTED CREW TO MAKE VISUAL APCH (RPT ARPT IN SIGHT) DESPITE BEING ON TOP WITH NO FURTHER DSCNT POSSIBLE, SHORT OF EXECUTING AN APCH. NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT LEFT NO CHOICE EXCEPT FULL APCH, BUT SAME WAS NOT EXPECTED BY ATC FOR SOME REASON. FINAL ATC FACILITY WAS NOT AWARE OF 'DIRECT' CLRNC GIVEN BY PRIOR ATC. SUGGESTION: IN NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT, PLTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR FULL, NON RADAR PROCS AND NOT ACCEPT WANDERING AROUND IN AN OFF-AIRWAY ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT MEA'S OR OTHER INFO. ATC SHOULD NOT EXPECT AIRLINE CREWS TO BE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH LCL PROCS, AS THEY COULD BE NEW TO THE AREA ON EVERY FLT. LASTLY, LEAD FLT ATTENDANT FORGOT CUSTOMS PACKAGE, AND HAD TO RETURN TO GATE FOR SAME. GATE AGENT SHOULD HAVE ALSO CAUGHT HER MISTAKE...(PROCS?). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: WHEN THE B757 FLC RECEIVED A VISUAL APCH CLRNC ABOUT 40 NM TO THE W, THEY TOLD THE CTLR UNABLE UNLESS THEY COULD RECEIVE VECTORS, SINCE THEY HAD A CLOUD DECK BELOW. THE CTLR SAID NO, BUT DIDN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE CREW NEEDED TO FLY THE FULL APCH. THE CAPT INSISTED ON THE FULL APCH INTO RWY 9, IN SPITE OF CTLR'S INSISTENCE ON A VISUAL APCH. THE DISAGREEMENT CONTINUED DURING THE DSCNT AND CLOSE TO THE ARPT. THE RPTR STATES THAT IF ATC IS GOING TO INSIST ON STRAIGHT-IN VISUAL APCHS INTO SXM, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE A PUBLISHED ARR RTE THAT ALLOWS DSCNT TO AN IAF FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH, IN A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT.

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.