Narrative:

After dodging thunderstorms and cumulus buildups, we received a 'cleared direct to pvs, descend pilot's discretion to 8000 ft.' my captain asked that rather than build the FMC route all the way to pvs, that I use an intermediate waypoint to apply an 8000 ft altitude constraint. In this case we chose micas, 25 NM from the pvs VOR. However, after inserting micas on the legs page, I failed to then link direct pvs. To complicate matters, we chose to build a series of waypoints to allow the airplane to use LNAV guidance while on the DME arc transition with a route discontinuity separating micas from the approach. As we approached micas, mia approach informed us that radar contact was lost and that we should contact providenciales approach. Switching to the frequency on the approach plate, we were unable to raise providenciales approach. At this point the captain stated that the plate allowed us to descend to 1300 ft within 25 NM of pvs. Now this would be true if we had been cleared for the approach but that lack of clearance got lost in the shuffle. At any rate, we elected to descend and join the DME arc that provided transition guidance for the approach. As we passed through 2500 ft, we finally were able to raise providenciales approach and once the controller discovered that we were below 8000 ft and joining the approach we were sent to the VOR for holding and, I assume, a reasonable period to do penance. There were no traffic conflicts. Programming the full cleared route into the FMC could have prevented the event. This would have reminded us that the approach clearance had not been received. As it was, once we reached micas intersection we had neither route guidance, nor vector, enticing us to grasp the 'approach' straw. The captain paid a visit to the controller during the turnaround and hopefully set things right but the controller was hopping mad when we were finally cleared for the visual approach and landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-400 DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING TRANSITION FOR APCH DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT FOREIGN APCH CTL AND MISPROGRAMMING THE FMS.

Narrative: AFTER DODGING TSTMS AND CUMULUS BUILDUPS, WE RECEIVED A 'CLRED DIRECT TO PVS, DSND PLT'S DISCRETION TO 8000 FT.' MY CAPT ASKED THAT RATHER THAN BUILD THE FMC RTE ALL THE WAY TO PVS, THAT I USE AN INTERMEDIATE WAYPOINT TO APPLY AN 8000 FT ALT CONSTRAINT. IN THIS CASE WE CHOSE MICAS, 25 NM FROM THE PVS VOR. HOWEVER, AFTER INSERTING MICAS ON THE LEGS PAGE, I FAILED TO THEN LINK DIRECT PVS. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS, WE CHOSE TO BUILD A SERIES OF WAYPOINTS TO ALLOW THE AIRPLANE TO USE LNAV GUIDANCE WHILE ON THE DME ARC TRANSITION WITH A RTE DISCONTINUITY SEPARATING MICAS FROM THE APCH. AS WE APCHED MICAS, MIA APCH INFORMED US THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTACT PROVIDENCIALES APCH. SWITCHING TO THE FREQ ON THE APCH PLATE, WE WERE UNABLE TO RAISE PROVIDENCIALES APCH. AT THIS POINT THE CAPT STATED THAT THE PLATE ALLOWED US TO DSND TO 1300 FT WITHIN 25 NM OF PVS. NOW THIS WOULD BE TRUE IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH BUT THAT LACK OF CLRNC GOT LOST IN THE SHUFFLE. AT ANY RATE, WE ELECTED TO DSND AND JOIN THE DME ARC THAT PROVIDED TRANSITION GUIDANCE FOR THE APCH. AS WE PASSED THROUGH 2500 FT, WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO RAISE PROVIDENCIALES APCH AND ONCE THE CTLR DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE BELOW 8000 FT AND JOINING THE APCH WE WERE SENT TO THE VOR FOR HOLDING AND, I ASSUME, A REASONABLE PERIOD TO DO PENANCE. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS. PROGRAMMING THE FULL CLRED RTE INTO THE FMC COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EVENT. THIS WOULD HAVE REMINDED US THAT THE APCH CLRNC HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED. AS IT WAS, ONCE WE REACHED MICAS INTXN WE HAD NEITHER RTE GUIDANCE, NOR VECTOR, ENTICING US TO GRASP THE 'APCH' STRAW. THE CAPT PAID A VISIT TO THE CTLR DURING THE TURNAROUND AND HOPEFULLY SET THINGS RIGHT BUT THE CTLR WAS HOPPING MAD WHEN WE WERE FINALLY CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND LNDG.

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.