Narrative:

I was instructing an IFR training flight at lancaster airport. It was the VOR 31 approach. I had asked for the full approach and I thought har had said we were cleared for the approach. 3 mi from the VOR har asked us to climb from 3000 to 4000', which we did. Har explained that he wanted us to stay high in order to get a commuter in under us. As we approached the VOR har told us to intercept the outbnd radial and again told us to maintain 4000', which we were. As we intercepted the radial har we were cleared down to 3500'. We then descended down to 3500' and held. After 1 min outbnd we began the approach. After we turned procedure turn inbound har queried us of our action. We told them we had just turned inbound, after which har told us to immediately turn back to the outbnd course, which we did. The problem is in the communication. If we weren't supposed to turn, I think the controller should have made it clearer. He emphasized our attitude so we would be, 'above the inbound traffic.' he never made it clear that we should also maintain the heading. I think that in the future the controllers should either not say anything with regard to what they are doing, or else give a complete briefing of what they are doing so you will have the complete picture.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR LEFT ASSIGNED ALT WITHOUT CLRNC. LATER IN SAME APCH, HE TURNED INBOUND BEFORE BEING CLEARED FOR THE APCH.

Narrative: I WAS INSTRUCTING AN IFR TRNING FLT AT LANCASTER ARPT. IT WAS THE VOR 31 APCH. I HAD ASKED FOR THE FULL APCH AND I THOUGHT HAR HAD SAID WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. 3 MI FROM THE VOR HAR ASKED US TO CLB FROM 3000 TO 4000', WHICH WE DID. HAR EXPLAINED THAT HE WANTED US TO STAY HIGH IN ORDER TO GET A COMMUTER IN UNDER US. AS WE APCHED THE VOR HAR TOLD US TO INTERCEPT THE OUTBND RADIAL AND AGAIN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 4000', WHICH WE WERE. AS WE INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL HAR WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 3500'. WE THEN DSNDED DOWN TO 3500' AND HELD. AFTER 1 MIN OUTBND WE BEGAN THE APCH. AFTER WE TURNED PROC TURN INBND HAR QUERIED US OF OUR ACTION. WE TOLD THEM WE HAD JUST TURNED INBND, AFTER WHICH HAR TOLD US TO IMMEDIATELY TURN BACK TO THE OUTBND COURSE, WHICH WE DID. THE PROB IS IN THE COM. IF WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO TURN, I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE MADE IT CLEARER. HE EMPHASIZED OUR ATTITUDE SO WE WOULD BE, 'ABOVE THE INBND TFC.' HE NEVER MADE IT CLR THAT WE SHOULD ALSO MAINTAIN THE HDG. I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE THE CTLRS SHOULD EITHER NOT SAY ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO WHAT THEY ARE DOING, OR ELSE GIVE A COMPLETE BRIEFING OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING SO YOU WILL HAVE THE COMPLETE PICTURE.

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.