Narrative:

3 of us were on an instrument proficiency and training flight. A filed IFR, B was the instructor, and C the instrument student observer. North bend, or, at 10,000' above scattered clouds. 22 mi out from the VOR the controller cleared us for the NDB approach. We said 'leaving 10,000 for 3800'. The controller asked where we got the 3800. We answered 'from the 25 mi circle on the approach chart'. He said that is an emergency altitude only, and cleared us down to 8000. We said our chart says 5500 to deroy and 4000 to the VOR, and 3000 from there to the NDB. We were by then at deroy. The NDB is the IAF, and we believe we could have descended direct to the NDB down to 3800 with the 'cleared for the approach', but we intended to do as we did, which was fly to the VOR, thence to the NDB for the approach. We arrived at the VOR well above the 4000. We never turned off the victor airway, nor intended to, but the controller must have thought we planned to go direct to the NDB, for he said 'the VOR is the IAF'. It is not. The flight plan was via the VOR, and that was our intentions and actual route. When cleared for the approach, is that not permission to go to the IAF which in this case is the NDB? We recognize that when we said '3800' which we got from the approach plate circle, the 25 mi is from the IAF (the NDB), not from the VOR which was our first thought. We executed the NDB approach, picked up our next flight plan from the FSS on the final segment NDB to the airport, and contacted center when passing through 2000, as directed by the clearance. When we called the controller, he wanted to know when and where we were going to land. We told him and he said to call him then. We didn't. We think we did everything on this flight correctly, but we may have worried the controller when we proposed to descend to 3800, rather than 4000. We believe he thought we were going direct to the NDB. We didn't, but think we could have. He should not have cleared us for the approach that far out. He should have given us a lower altitude, instead, or cleared us via the VOR if he wanted to be sure that was our route, or given us a 'cruise' to the VOR which would have given us from 10,000 to 4000. We could not have been down to 4000 by the time we reached the VOR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THREE REPORTERS ON INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT IN LIGHT ACFT ARE UNSURE OF THE REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGS WHEN 'CLEARED FOR THE APCH'.

Narrative: 3 OF US WERE ON AN INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY AND TRAINING FLT. A FILED IFR, B WAS THE INSTRUCTOR, AND C THE INSTRUMENT STUDENT OBSERVER. NORTH BEND, OR, AT 10,000' ABOVE SCATTERED CLOUDS. 22 MI OUT FROM THE VOR THE CTLR CLRED US FOR THE NDB APCH. WE SAID 'LEAVING 10,000 FOR 3800'. THE CTLR ASKED WHERE WE GOT THE 3800. WE ANSWERED 'FROM THE 25 MI CIRCLE ON THE APCH CHART'. HE SAID THAT IS AN EMER ALT ONLY, AND CLRED US DOWN TO 8000. WE SAID OUR CHART SAYS 5500 TO DEROY AND 4000 TO THE VOR, AND 3000 FROM THERE TO THE NDB. WE WERE BY THEN AT DEROY. THE NDB IS THE IAF, AND WE BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE DESCENDED DIRECT TO THE NDB DOWN TO 3800 WITH THE 'CLRED FOR THE APCH', BUT WE INTENDED TO DO AS WE DID, WHICH WAS FLY TO THE VOR, THENCE TO THE NDB FOR THE APCH. WE ARRIVED AT THE VOR WELL ABOVE THE 4000. WE NEVER TURNED OFF THE VICTOR AIRWAY, NOR INTENDED TO, BUT THE CTLR MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE PLANNED TO GO DIRECT TO THE NDB, FOR HE SAID 'THE VOR IS THE IAF'. IT IS NOT. THE FLT PLAN WAS VIA THE VOR, AND THAT WAS OUR INTENTIONS AND ACTUAL ROUTE. WHEN CLRED FOR THE APCH, IS THAT NOT PERMISSION TO GO TO THE IAF WHICH IN THIS CASE IS THE NDB? WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN WE SAID '3800' WHICH WE GOT FROM THE APCH PLATE CIRCLE, THE 25 MI IS FROM THE IAF (THE NDB), NOT FROM THE VOR WHICH WAS OUR FIRST THOUGHT. WE EXECUTED THE NDB APCH, PICKED UP OUR NEXT FLT PLAN FROM THE FSS ON THE FINAL SEGMENT NDB TO THE ARPT, AND CONTACTED CENTER WHEN PASSING THROUGH 2000, AS DIRECTED BY THE CLRNC. WHEN WE CALLED THE CTLR, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHEN AND WHERE WE WERE GOING TO LAND. WE TOLD HIM AND HE SAID TO CALL HIM THEN. WE DIDN'T. WE THINK WE DID EVERYTHING ON THIS FLT CORRECTLY, BUT WE MAY HAVE WORRIED THE CTLR WHEN WE PROPOSED TO DSND TO 3800, RATHER THAN 4000. WE BELIEVE HE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING DIRECT TO THE NDB. WE DIDN'T, BUT THINK WE COULD HAVE. HE SHOULD NOT HAVE CLRED US FOR THE APCH THAT FAR OUT. HE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US A LOWER ALT, INSTEAD, OR CLRED US VIA THE VOR IF HE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT WAS OUR ROUTE, OR GIVEN US A 'CRUISE' TO THE VOR WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN US FROM 10,000 TO 4000. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DOWN TO 4000 BY THE TIME WE REACHED THE VOR.

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.