Flight crew of an MD88 failed to descend for landing due to not receiving ATC clearance, of which ATC believed that they had given.

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Attributes
ACN	367820
Time
Date	199704
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jan
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : jan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : jan
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 : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4100
ASRS Report	367820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was at 7000 ft MSL in contact with jackson approach control. We were on radar vectors or direct jan VOR. At the time of the event we were 8-10 NM from the airport at 250 KTS. The controller asked us if we could 'get down ok' and inquired if we had the 'field in sight.' we stated that we were at 7000 ft and requested a clearance for a lower altitude. Approach responded that we had been cleared to 2000 ft. The first officer then told the controller that we had not read back a clearance to 2000 ft. The altitude alert was set and verified at 7000 ft. The controller then cleared us to descend through the final approach course (extended runway centerline) for runway 22 in order to lose altitude. We made a visual approach to the runway after advising jan approach that we had the runway in sight. The frequency was not busy and I cannot understand how we missed the descent clearance. Also, I was much too close to the airport to be at 7000 ft and should have queried the controller for a lower altitude long before this event occurred. Lack of situational awareness definitely contributed to this event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD88 FAILED TO DSND FOR LNDG DUE TO NOT RECEIVING ATC CLRNC, OF WHICH ATC BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD GIVEN.

Narrative: FLT WAS AT 7000 FT MSL IN CONTACT WITH JACKSON APCH CTL. WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS OR DIRECT JAN VOR. AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WE WERE 8-10 NM FROM THE ARPT AT 250 KTS. THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE COULD 'GET DOWN OK' AND INQUIRED IF WE HAD THE 'FIELD IN SIGHT.' WE STATED THAT WE WERE AT 7000 FT AND REQUESTED A CLRNC FOR A LOWER ALT. APCH RESPONDED THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 2000 FT. THE FO THEN TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE HAD NOT READ BACK A CLRNC TO 2000 FT. THE ALT ALERT WAS SET AND VERIFIED AT 7000 FT. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO DSND THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE (EXTENDED RWY CTRLINE) FOR RWY 22 IN ORDER TO LOSE ALT. WE MADE A VISUAL APCH TO THE RWY AFTER ADVISING JAN APCH THAT WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE FREQ WAS NOT BUSY AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW WE MISSED THE DSCNT CLRNC. ALSO, I WAS MUCH TOO CLOSE TO THE ARPT TO BE AT 7000 FT AND SHOULD HAVE QUERIED THE CTLR FOR A LOWER ALT LONG BEFORE THIS EVENT OCCURRED. LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT.

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.