Narrative:

We were on a positioning flight from sjc to las. I was the sic and the PF. We were approaching bty VOR when we received the following clearance, 'after bty, cleared for the tragr 1, expect left downwind for runway 19R.' the PNF loaded the tragr 1 and the runway 19R transition, and checked it against the approach plate. We flew the arrival as depicted for runway 19R, but when we turned nebound, approach control queried us as to which arrival we were flying. We replied with the tragr 1, and were issued a vector. Upon landing, tower asked us to call approach control. The PIC made the call and was informed that we were expected to fly the runway 25L transition as noted on the approach plate. There is a note on the bottom of the approach plate that says, 'aircraft to proceed via landing runway 25L unless otherwise instructed by ATC.' neither I nor the PIC saw this note, it is not in bold. However, even with 20/20 hindsight, with the ATC clearance we received I am not sure if I would have flown the arrival any differently. The ATC clearance and approach plate is ambiguous and confusing, and seemingly contradictory. Since this event, I have asked quite a few fellow pilots, with the clearance we received how they would have flown the arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GV FLC CHALLENGED BY L30 CTLR WHEN FLYING THE TRAGR RNAV RWY 19 APCH WHEN L30 ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE FLYING THE RWY 25 APCH PROC.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A POSITIONING FLT FROM SJC TO LAS. I WAS THE SIC AND THE PF. WE WERE APCHING BTY VOR WHEN WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC, 'AFTER BTY, CLRED FOR THE TRAGR 1, EXPECT L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19R.' THE PNF LOADED THE TRAGR 1 AND THE RWY 19R TRANSITION, AND CHKED IT AGAINST THE APCH PLATE. WE FLEW THE ARR AS DEPICTED FOR RWY 19R, BUT WHEN WE TURNED NEBOUND, APCH CTL QUERIED US AS TO WHICH ARR WE WERE FLYING. WE REPLIED WITH THE TRAGR 1, AND WERE ISSUED A VECTOR. UPON LNDG, TWR ASKED US TO CALL APCH CTL. THE PIC MADE THE CALL AND WAS INFORMED THAT WE WERE EXPECTED TO FLY THE RWY 25L TRANSITION AS NOTED ON THE APCH PLATE. THERE IS A NOTE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE APCH PLATE THAT SAYS, 'ACFT TO PROCEED VIA LNDG RWY 25L UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY ATC.' NEITHER I NOR THE PIC SAW THIS NOTE, IT IS NOT IN BOLD. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH 20/20 HINDSIGHT, WITH THE ATC CLRNC WE RECEIVED I AM NOT SURE IF I WOULD HAVE FLOWN THE ARR ANY DIFFERENTLY. THE ATC CLRNC AND APCH PLATE IS AMBIGUOUS AND CONFUSING, AND SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTORY. SINCE THIS EVENT, I HAVE ASKED QUITE A FEW FELLOW PLTS, WITH THE CLRNC WE RECEIVED HOW THEY WOULD HAVE FLOWN THE ARR.

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.