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ATC flight crew miscom. Flight crew requested a visual approach and captain reporter thought the controller cleared them for a visual and started descent. The first officer told him they were cleared to expect a visual and reporter leveled off as first officer again requested a visual and they were cleared. Commencing descent they had a TCASII TA on a VFR traffic. Medium large transport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 339820 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pvd |
| State Reference | RI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pvd |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 339820 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After switching to pvd approach control we were told to expect ILS to runway 34. We were at 5000 ft MSL, runway 5 soon was visible. We asked for a visual to runway 5. I thought the controller said 'cleared visual runway 5.' we were high so I started down. The altitude alerter went off, the copilot said, I thought he said 'expect visual to runway 5.' we leveled off at 4700 ft MSL. Copilot asked controller who now said 'cleared for a visual to runway 5.' we started down, TCASII then gave us a TA on VFR traffic at 3000 ft MSL. I never could figure out if we were 'cleared for the visual' when we initially asked or told to 'expect the visual' as the copilot thought, which is why I am writing this report.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATC FLC MISCOM. FLC REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH AND CAPT RPTR THOUGHT THE CTLR CLRED THEM FOR A VISUAL AND STARTED DSCNT. THE FO TOLD HIM THEY WERE CLRED TO EXPECT A VISUAL AND RPTR LEVELED OFF AS FO AGAIN REQUESTED A VISUAL AND THEY WERE CLRED. COMMENCING DSCNT THEY HAD A TCASII TA ON A VFR TFC. MLG.
Narrative: AFTER SWITCHING TO PVD APCH CTL WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT ILS TO RWY 34. WE WERE AT 5000 FT MSL, RWY 5 SOON WAS VISIBLE. WE ASKED FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 5. I THOUGHT THE CTLR SAID 'CLRED VISUAL RWY 5.' WE WERE HIGH SO I STARTED DOWN. THE ALT ALERTER WENT OFF, THE COPLT SAID, I THOUGHT HE SAID 'EXPECT VISUAL TO RWY 5.' WE LEVELED OFF AT 4700 FT MSL. COPLT ASKED CTLR WHO NOW SAID 'CLRED FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 5.' WE STARTED DOWN, TCASII THEN GAVE US A TA ON VFR TFC AT 3000 FT MSL. I NEVER COULD FIGURE OUT IF WE WERE 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' WHEN WE INITIALLY ASKED OR TOLD TO 'EXPECT THE VISUAL' AS THE COPLT THOUGHT, WHICH IS WHY I AM WRITING THIS RPT.
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.