Confusion over clearance between approach control and arriving small transport.

Attributes
ACN	133165
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oom airport : bmg
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : huf tower : bmg
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	133165
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First time into this airport. Flying into low sun and all brown terrain, trying to make the airport. I advised I was a stranger approximately 15 NM out. Hulman said either runway 24 or 35 was available. I said runway 24 and he acknowledged. He cleared me for the visibility to 24 and started calling distance. I tuned and set up the VOR 24 for backup. He said to maintain 2600 before clearing me for the usual as I recall. I heard hulman say ILS 35, but he was stepped on and I didn't hear my call sign and didn't acknowledge. This was at about 2.5 DME. At 2.5 DME I still could not positively identify the field and started to let down on the VOR 24 approach. He called and said you were cleared for the ILS and if I wanted the VOR 24 I should have asked for it. I thought I in fact had asked for the VOR 24 at 15 NM out. He was evidently asking me at about 2.5 DME and lined up for runway 24 to break off and navigation back to claye LOM for the ILS. No vectors were given for the ILS that I heard. He cleared me to the tower and they cleared me to land straight in. Safety would have dictated that he recognize the obvious and should have cleared me for the VOR 24, or given me a vector back out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION OVER CLRNC BETWEEN APCH CTL AND ARRIVING SMT.

Narrative: FIRST TIME INTO THIS ARPT. FLYING INTO LOW SUN AND ALL BROWN TERRAIN, TRYING TO MAKE THE ARPT. I ADVISED I WAS A STRANGER APPROX 15 NM OUT. HULMAN SAID EITHER RWY 24 OR 35 WAS AVAILABLE. I SAID RWY 24 AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED. HE CLRED ME FOR THE VIS TO 24 AND STARTED CALLING DISTANCE. I TUNED AND SET UP THE VOR 24 FOR BACKUP. HE SAID TO MAINTAIN 2600 BEFORE CLRING ME FOR THE USUAL AS I RECALL. I HEARD HULMAN SAY ILS 35, BUT HE WAS STEPPED ON AND I DIDN'T HEAR MY CALL SIGN AND DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE. THIS WAS AT ABOUT 2.5 DME. AT 2.5 DME I STILL COULD NOT POSITIVELY IDENT THE FIELD AND STARTED TO LET DOWN ON THE VOR 24 APCH. HE CALLED AND SAID YOU WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS AND IF I WANTED THE VOR 24 I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR IT. I THOUGHT I IN FACT HAD ASKED FOR THE VOR 24 AT 15 NM OUT. HE WAS EVIDENTLY ASKING ME AT ABOUT 2.5 DME AND LINED UP FOR RWY 24 TO BREAK OFF AND NAV BACK TO CLAYE LOM FOR THE ILS. NO VECTORS WERE GIVEN FOR THE ILS THAT I HEARD. HE CLRED ME TO THE TWR AND THEY CLRED ME TO LAND STRAIGHT IN. SAFETY WOULD HAVE DICTATED THAT HE RECOGNIZE THE OBVIOUS AND SHOULD HAVE CLRED ME FOR THE VOR 24, OR GIVEN ME A VECTOR BACK OUT.

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