Clearance confusion between air carrier medium large transport and approach controller at ord.

Attributes
ACN	140311
Time
Date	199003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	140311
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were being vectored for a visibility approach to runway 27R at ord. Controller gave us descent to 2500', heading 220 degrees. As we captured the localizer I attempted to contact the controller to ask if we should intercept. He was very busy issuing instructions to other aircraft (parallel approach to 27L were in progress). We were going through the localizer when I was finally able to break into the frequency. The controller stated he had wanted us to intercept--gave us a hard over to return to the localizer. We intercepted the 27R localizer and continued the approach west/O further incident. I did not see any conflicting traffic from runway 27L. The controller continued at a very high level of activity. When we reached the OM he had not given us clearance to contact the tower. It was apparent that he was overloaded. We changed to tower frequency and completed the landing. The controllers--at ord approach tower and ground--normally do an outstanding job. However, I feel the supervisor should have recognized that this particular approach controller was overloaded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION BETWEEN ACR MLG AND APCH CTLR AT ORD.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A VIS APCH TO RWY 27R AT ORD. CTLR GAVE US DSCNT TO 2500', HDG 220 DEGS. AS WE CAPTURED THE LOC I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE CTLR TO ASK IF WE SHOULD INTERCEPT. HE WAS VERY BUSY ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER ACFT (PARALLEL APCH TO 27L WERE IN PROGRESS). WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE LOC WHEN I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO BREAK INTO THE FREQ. THE CTLR STATED HE HAD WANTED US TO INTERCEPT--GAVE US A HARD OVER TO RETURN TO THE LOC. WE INTERCEPTED THE 27R LOC AND CONTINUED THE APCH W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. I DID NOT SEE ANY CONFLICTING TFC FROM RWY 27L. THE CTLR CONTINUED AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF ACTIVITY. WHEN WE REACHED THE OM HE HAD NOT GIVEN US CLRNC TO CONTACT THE TWR. IT WAS APPARENT THAT HE WAS OVERLOADED. WE CHANGED TO TWR FREQ AND COMPLETED THE LNDG. THE CTLRS--AT ORD APCH TWR AND GND--NORMALLY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB. HOWEVER, I FEEL THE SUPVR SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS PARTICULAR APCH CTLR WAS OVERLOADED.

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.