Confusion between flight crew and controller on heading and altitude assignment.

Attributes
ACN	129506
Time
Date	198911
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	129506
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6076
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Previous controller gave 180 degree heading and told to contact mia final approach controller. Final controller turned us to 260 degrees, then stopped turn at 250 degrees. We were level at 4000' MSL. Controller gave us a few more heading changes, then cleared us to 2000' MSL. 3 mins later controller turned us to 180 degrees, and 1 min later asked us to verify altitude. We were 2600' descending to 2000'. (No reply.) another minute passed; the controller told us we were never cleared to 2000', and that IFR traffic passed within 1 NM at the same altitude, and that our clearance was to a 200 degree heading, not 2000'. The controller gave us the 200 degree heading on his second heading change after clearing us to descend to 2000', and that descent was repeated to ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION BETWEEN FLT CREW AND CTLR ON HEADING AND ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: PREVIOUS CTLR GAVE 180 DEG HDG AND TOLD TO CONTACT MIA FINAL APCH CTLR. FINAL CTLR TURNED US TO 260 DEGS, THEN STOPPED TURN AT 250 DEGS. WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000' MSL. CTLR GAVE US A FEW MORE HDG CHANGES, THEN CLRED US TO 2000' MSL. 3 MINS LATER CTLR TURNED US TO 180 DEGS, AND 1 MIN LATER ASKED US TO VERIFY ALT. WE WERE 2600' DSNDING TO 2000'. (NO REPLY.) ANOTHER MINUTE PASSED; THE CTLR TOLD US WE WERE NEVER CLRED TO 2000', AND THAT IFR TFC PASSED WITHIN 1 NM AT THE SAME ALT, AND THAT OUR CLRNC WAS TO A 200 DEG HDG, NOT 2000'. THE CTLR GAVE US THE 200 DEG HDG ON HIS SECOND HDG CHANGE AFTER CLRING US TO DSND TO 2000', AND THAT DSCNT WAS REPEATED TO ATC.

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.