Miscommunication between reporter flight and approach controller resulted in clearance confusion.

Attributes
ACN	114495
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tracon : avl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	114493
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 2400
ASRS Report	114957
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After vectors for an ILS to runway 22 at lga we were on the localizer at 4000'. The approach controller gave us a very rapid-fire clearance. The first officer said: 'I think he said, cleared for the approach, cross yeoman 3000' or above.' this is what I read back. We started a descent to 3000' and going thru 3500' the controller came back very agitated and said 'I said 4 till 15 DME, white plains is departing runway 16, climb and maintain 4000'. There had been thunderstorms in the area all afternoon and apparently the controllers were overworked. Voice radio communication still seems to be the weakest link in our system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN REPORTER FLT AND APCH CTLR RESULTED IN CLRNC CONFUSION.

Narrative: AFTER VECTORS FOR AN ILS TO RWY 22 AT LGA WE WERE ON THE LOC AT 4000'. THE APCH CTLR GAVE US A VERY RAPID-FIRE CLRNC. THE F/O SAID: 'I THINK HE SAID, CLRED FOR THE APCH, CROSS YEOMAN 3000' OR ABOVE.' THIS IS WHAT I READ BACK. WE STARTED A DSCNT TO 3000' AND GOING THRU 3500' THE CTLR CAME BACK VERY AGITATED AND SAID 'I SAID 4 TILL 15 DME, WHITE PLAINS IS DEPARTING RWY 16, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. THERE HAD BEEN TSTMS IN THE AREA ALL AFTERNOON AND APPARENTLY THE CTLRS WERE OVERWORKED. VOICE RADIO COM STILL SEEMS TO BE THE WEAKEST LINK IN OUR SYSTEM.

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.