Narrative:

I was en route for F55 ZFW cleared me to descend and maintain 3000' to aqn for the approach (VOR/DME). I reported crossing aqn southbound and was acknowledged. I continued south waiting for 'cleared for the approach' I reported to center. Again about 3 mi south of aqn and again was acknowledged. At some time about 10 DME south center then asked if I was shooting the approach to which I requested clearance for. I was then informed to return to aqn cleared for the approach. Looking back I realize I was cleared for the approach when I was cleared for descent, and that even had I not been cleared for approach the correct procedure would have been to enter the established hold at aqn. This was my first IFR solo in IMC conditions which greatly contributed to my misunderstanding of what I was told to do. Also during instrument training that clearance was given as follows: descend and maintain 3000' direct aqn cleared for VOR approach report aqn outbnd or procedure turn inbound. The way the clearance was actually given I only understood cleared to 3000' then when I reported crossing aqn southbound and no additional instruction were issued I assumed I was conforming and reconfirmed my assumptions by reporting a second time further south of aqn. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: callback made to confirm type of approach and reporter explained he did not have an approach chart with him when he wrote the report and forgot the actual label. He also affirmed that the fact that this was his first solo approach caused him some emotional trauma. Clearance from center was as stated 'cleared to descend to 3000' direct aqn for the VOR B approach.' it is possible in his excitement anticipating the approach he missed the word cleared between 'aqn' and 'for' but he does not think the clearance was specific enough.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA TRACK DEVIATION NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC DUE CLRNC INTERP.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FOR F55 ZFW CLRED ME TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000' TO AQN FOR THE APCH (VOR/DME). I RPTED XING AQN SBND AND WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. I CONTINUED S WAITING FOR 'CLRED FOR THE APCH' I RPTED TO CENTER. AGAIN ABOUT 3 MI S OF AQN AND AGAIN WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. AT SOME TIME ABOUT 10 DME S CENTER THEN ASKED IF I WAS SHOOTING THE APCH TO WHICH I REQUESTED CLRNC FOR. I WAS THEN INFORMED TO RETURN TO AQN CLRED FOR THE APCH. LOOKING BACK I REALIZE I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH WHEN I WAS CLRED FOR DSCNT, AND THAT EVEN HAD I NOT BEEN CLRED FOR APCH THE CORRECT PROC WOULD HAVE BEEN TO ENTER THE ESTABLISHED HOLD AT AQN. THIS WAS MY FIRST IFR SOLO IN IMC CONDITIONS WHICH GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO MY MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT I WAS TOLD TO DO. ALSO DURING INSTRUMENT TRNING THAT CLRNC WAS GIVEN AS FOLLOWS: DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000' DIRECT AQN CLRED FOR VOR APCH RPT AQN OUTBND OR PROC TURN INBND. THE WAY THE CLRNC WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN I ONLY UNDERSTOOD CLRED TO 3000' THEN WHEN I RPTED XING AQN SBND AND NO ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION WERE ISSUED I ASSUMED I WAS CONFORMING AND RECONFIRMED MY ASSUMPTIONS BY RPTING A SECOND TIME FURTHER S OF AQN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CALLBACK MADE TO CONFIRM TYPE OF APCH AND RPTR EXPLAINED HE DID NOT HAVE AN APCH CHART WITH HIM WHEN HE WROTE THE RPT AND FORGOT THE ACTUAL LABEL. HE ALSO AFFIRMED THAT THE FACT THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST SOLO APCH CAUSED HIM SOME EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. CLRNC FROM CENTER WAS AS STATED 'CLRED TO DSND TO 3000' DIRECT AQN FOR THE VOR B APCH.' IT IS POSSIBLE IN HIS EXCITEMENT ANTICIPATING THE APCH HE MISSED THE WORD CLRED BTWN 'AQN' AND 'FOR' BUT HE DOES NOT THINK THE CLRNC WAS SPECIFIC ENOUGH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.