A corporate jet flight crew on approach to emt were confused by a sct controller's disapproval of th...

Attributes
ACN	1271052
Time
Date	201506
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	SCT.TRACON
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35 Flight Crew Total 19000 Flight Crew Type 520
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 5600 Flight Crew Type 75
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Altitude Undershoot Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

We were flying a part 91 corporate trip to emt. We had begun our descent and were leveling at 7000. Last assigned routing was lhs direct darts. We requested the GPS B approach into emt. We were switched to a new socal approach frequency. He gave us a new routing that we had not filed or expected. We had the airport in sight; so instead of accepting the clearance. We selected to cancel IFR and proceed VFR with flight following. The controller acknowledged our cancellation and said 'proceed with pilot discretion'. At this point we both thought he said 'descend pilot discretion'. So we descended for our visual approach in to emt. We also turned direct to the airport. We passed north of darts intersection by about 2 miles. About 1 minute into the descent the controller asked what our altitude was. We said 5;500 descending to 3;500. His tone was not approving and we became confused about the status of clearance. The controller stated that our attempts to make a clarification were garbled. We attempted again; with the same results. In our third attempt; we squawked 1200 and said we said were cancelling and proceeding VFR.it was unclear to us if he had accepted our cancellation of the IFR clearance. Or that he understood we would; in the near future (i.e. Arrival at darts intersection) be cancelling.in hind sight; we would have been clearer if; on initial contact we had expressed our desire to cancel and proceed VFR. I think the intermediary step of 'VFR with flight following' confused everyone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A corporate jet flight crew on approach to EMT were confused by a SCT Controller's disapproval of their descent for the airport after they cancelled IFR and began a visual approach at night.

Narrative: We were flying a Part 91 corporate trip to EMT. We had begun our descent and were leveling at 7000. Last assigned routing was LHS Direct DARTS. We requested the GPS B approach into EMT. We were switched to a new SoCal approach frequency. He gave us a new routing that we had not filed or expected. We had the airport in sight; so instead of accepting the clearance. We selected to cancel IFR and proceed VFR with flight following. The controller acknowledged our cancellation and said 'proceed with pilot discretion'. At this point we both thought he said 'descend pilot discretion'. So we descended for our visual approach in to EMT. We also turned direct to the airport. We passed north of DARTS intersection by about 2 miles. About 1 minute into the descent the controller asked what our altitude was. We said 5;500 descending to 3;500. His tone was not approving and we became confused about the status of clearance. The controller stated that our attempts to make a clarification were garbled. We attempted again; with the same results. In our third attempt; we squawked 1200 and said we said were cancelling and proceeding VFR.It was unclear to us if he had accepted our cancellation of the IFR clearance. Or that he understood we would; in the near future (i.e. arrival at DARTS intersection) be cancelling.In hind sight; we would have been clearer if; on initial contact we had expressed our desire to cancel and proceed VFR. I think the intermediary step of 'VFR with flight following' confused everyone.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

A corporate jet flight crew on approach to emt were confused by a sct controller's disapproval of their descent for the airport after they cancelled IFR and began a visual approach at night.