At-72 crew and approach controller had a clearance readback/hearback misunderstanding on vectors to ...

Attributes
ACN	526563
Time
Date	200110
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	526563
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around none taken : detected after the fact other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At 4000 on base to runway 8L approach in atl, asked approach control for 'radio check' due to background noise. He responded to say what I thought was 'loud and clear' and following airbus over the marker.' a minute later we were coming through the runway 8L localizer still on a 180 degree vector. We queried approach 'are we still going to runway 8L?' he said yes and 'are you turning back toward final?' we responded 'negative, were IMC and have not been cleared for an approach.' he disagreed and said that he cleared us for the visual when we reported the airport in sight and said he issued us traffic to follow. Neither myself nor the first officer heard or responded to such clearance. We were vectored back around to final and landed uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT-72 CREW AND APCH CTLR HAD A CLRNC READBACK/HEARBACK MISUNDERSTANDING ON VECTORS TO THE ILS AT ATL.

Narrative: AT 4000 ON BASE TO RWY 8L APCH IN ATL, ASKED APCH CTL FOR 'RADIO CHK' DUE TO BACKGROUND NOISE. HE RESPONDED TO SAY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 'LOUD AND CLR' AND FOLLOWING AIRBUS OVER THE MARKER.' A MINUTE LATER WE WERE COMING THROUGH THE RWY 8L LOC STILL ON A 180 DEG VECTOR. WE QUERIED APCH 'ARE WE STILL GOING TO RWY 8L?' HE SAID YES AND 'ARE YOU TURNING BACK TOWARD FINAL?' WE RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE, WERE IMC AND HAVE NOT BEEN CLRED FOR AN APCH.' HE DISAGREED AND SAID THAT HE CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL WHEN WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND SAID HE ISSUED US TFC TO FOLLOW. NEITHER MYSELF NOR THE FO HEARD OR RESPONDED TO SUCH CLRNC. WE WERE VECTORED BACK AROUND TO FINAL AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.

At-72 crew and approach controller had a clearance readback/hearback misunderstanding on vectors to the ILS at atl.