Narrative:

En route from mso to fca we requested the VOR runway 30 approach to fca. The controller replied back that aircraft had been getting the airport visual at 9000 ft. We replied back that, okay, we'd take her word for it. From our route of flight the approach stipulates that we intercept the 15 DME arc to the inbound radial of 148 degrees. At 9000 ft and 23 DME, we were still solid IMC and did not want to be sucked into the black hole of continuing for a visual that we might not get, so we again asked for the VOR runway 30 approach. This time she said, 'roger, intercept the 15 DME arc for the VOR runway 30 approach, report established on the 148 degree radial.' we read back, 'roger, cleared as requested, report established on the 148 degree.' she read back 'roger' and we both (crew members) took that as being cleared for the approach. Upon intercepting the 148 degree radial we began descending to the step-down altitude of 7500 ft. Passing through 8000 ft the controller said, 'say altitude.' we said, '8000 ft descending to 7500 ft, established on the 148 degree on the approach.' she then said, 'you were not cleared for the approach.' we replied, 'we requested the approach, you cleared us on the arc for the approach, we read back, cleared as requested, you said, roger, and two of us took that as our approach clearance.' she came back with 'roger, you are cleared for the runway 30 approach.' on the ground, when we called to cancel our IFR flight plan, it was late night at the uncontrolled airport, we asked if she wanted us to call on the land line about the miscom. She replied, 'no, don't worry about it.' this sequence of events is proof that there is often a very fine line between communication and miscom.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG CREW WAS GIVEN WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS AN APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM MSO TO FCA WE REQUESTED THE VOR RWY 30 APCH TO FCA. THE CTLR REPLIED BACK THAT ACFT HAD BEEN GETTING THE ARPT VISUAL AT 9000 FT. WE REPLIED BACK THAT, OKAY, WE'D TAKE HER WORD FOR IT. FROM OUR RTE OF FLT THE APCH STIPULATES THAT WE INTERCEPT THE 15 DME ARC TO THE INBOUND RADIAL OF 148 DEGS. AT 9000 FT AND 23 DME, WE WERE STILL SOLID IMC AND DID NOT WANT TO BE SUCKED INTO THE BLACK HOLE OF CONTINUING FOR A VISUAL THAT WE MIGHT NOT GET, SO WE AGAIN ASKED FOR THE VOR RWY 30 APCH. THIS TIME SHE SAID, 'ROGER, INTERCEPT THE 15 DME ARC FOR THE VOR RWY 30 APCH, RPT ESTABLISHED ON THE 148 DEG RADIAL.' WE READ BACK, 'ROGER, CLRED AS REQUESTED, RPT ESTABLISHED ON THE 148 DEG.' SHE READ BACK 'ROGER' AND WE BOTH (CREW MEMBERS) TOOK THAT AS BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH. UPON INTERCEPTING THE 148 DEG RADIAL WE BEGAN DSNDING TO THE STEP-DOWN ALT OF 7500 FT. PASSING THROUGH 8000 FT THE CTLR SAID, 'SAY ALT.' WE SAID, '8000 FT DSNDING TO 7500 FT, ESTABLISHED ON THE 148 DEG ON THE APCH.' SHE THEN SAID, 'YOU WERE NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH.' WE REPLIED, 'WE REQUESTED THE APCH, YOU CLRED US ON THE ARC FOR THE APCH, WE READ BACK, CLRED AS REQUESTED, YOU SAID, ROGER, AND TWO OF US TOOK THAT AS OUR APCH CLRNC.' SHE CAME BACK WITH 'ROGER, YOU ARE CLRED FOR THE RWY 30 APCH.' ON THE GND, WHEN WE CALLED TO CANCEL OUR IFR FLT PLAN, IT WAS LATE NIGHT AT THE UNCTLED ARPT, WE ASKED IF SHE WANTED US TO CALL ON THE LAND LINE ABOUT THE MISCOM. SHE REPLIED, 'NO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.' THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IS PROOF THAT THERE IS OFTEN A VERY FINE LINE BTWN COM AND MISCOM.

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.