Narrative:

While en route and nearing our destination airport (glacier park international, kalispell-montana), we requested lower, and the VOR runway 30 approach. (At that time we were approximately 45 mi east on V536 at 16000, the WX clear above a broken to overcast layer, tops 13500' nd VFR at glacier park international.) ZLC gave us 15000' and cleared us to the 10 mi DME fix via the 15 mi DME arc. While on the arc and still at 15000', the controller instructed us to hold north of the 15 DME fix on the 148 degree right, and at one point mentioned twin small aircraft traffic. (This was our only indication of any traffic at glacier park.) as we approached the 148 degree right, ZLC cleared us for the approach, to cross the 10 mi DME fix at or below 9000' and contact radio. The first officer read back the clearance, with no reply from center, and at this point we had more than 6000' of altitude to lose in 5 mi. The first officer tried to raise ZLC several times for verification of the clearance, and our inability to comply (if in fact it was the actual clearance). I continued the approach and crossed the 10 mi DME fix at approximately 12000'. We broke out VFR shortly thereafter. At a pint approximately 5 mi still out from the VOR, we cancelled our IFR clearance with center, and nothing else was said or mentioned. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. Soon after, and on the ground, the first officer and I discussed what had happened, and how things could have been handled differently; i.e., considering safety, efficiency and some unknowns, considering the controller's position. We felt the controller was probably preoccupied, and possibly not giving us the attention (information) that was important for our prep of the approach. She was handling other traffic/another frequency, thus delaying direct communication. When the time came to be ready for the actual approach, we received a hurried clearance, one in which we never could verify, and possibly did not comply with. As I mentioned earlier, nothing else was said concerning our approach, or the traffic for that matter (if in fact, it did concern us).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER PIC FILES REPORT REGARDING DOUBT OF CLRNC AND NON COMPLIANCE AS TO CROSSING RESTRICTION ACCOUNT ATC HANDLING FORM CENTER CTLR.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE AND NEARING OUR DEST ARPT (GLACIER PARK INTL, KALISPELL-MONTANA), WE REQUESTED LOWER, AND THE VOR RWY 30 APCH. (AT THAT TIME WE WERE APPROX 45 MI E ON V536 AT 16000, THE WX CLR ABOVE A BROKEN TO OVCST LAYER, TOPS 13500' ND VFR AT GLACIER PARK INTL.) ZLC GAVE US 15000' AND CLRED US TO THE 10 MI DME FIX VIA THE 15 MI DME ARC. WHILE ON THE ARC AND STILL AT 15000', THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO HOLD N OF THE 15 DME FIX ON THE 148 DEG R, AND AT ONE POINT MENTIONED TWIN SMA TFC. (THIS WAS OUR ONLY INDICATION OF ANY TFC AT GLACIER PARK.) AS WE APCHED THE 148 DEG R, ZLC CLRED US FOR THE APCH, TO CROSS THE 10 MI DME FIX AT OR BELOW 9000' AND CONTACT RADIO. THE F/O READ BACK THE CLRNC, WITH NO REPLY FROM CENTER, AND AT THIS POINT WE HAD MORE THAN 6000' OF ALT TO LOSE IN 5 MI. THE F/O TRIED TO RAISE ZLC SEVERAL TIMES FOR VERIFICATION OF THE CLRNC, AND OUR INABILITY TO COMPLY (IF IN FACT IT WAS THE ACTUAL CLRNC). I CONTINUED THE APCH AND CROSSED THE 10 MI DME FIX AT APPROX 12000'. WE BROKE OUT VFR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AT A PINT APPROX 5 MI STILL OUT FROM THE VOR, WE CANCELLED OUR IFR CLRNC WITH CENTER, AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID OR MENTIONED. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. SOON AFTER, AND ON THE GND, THE F/O AND I DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND HOW THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED DIFFERENTLY; I.E., CONSIDERING SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND SOME UNKNOWNS, CONSIDERING THE CTLR'S POS. WE FELT THE CTLR WAS PROBABLY PREOCCUPIED, AND POSSIBLY NOT GIVING US THE ATTN (INFO) THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR OUR PREP OF THE APCH. SHE WAS HANDLING OTHER TFC/ANOTHER FREQ, THUS DELAYING DIRECT COM. WHEN THE TIME CAME TO BE READY FOR THE ACTUAL APCH, WE RECEIVED A HURRIED CLRNC, ONE IN WHICH WE NEVER COULD VERIFY, AND POSSIBLY DID NOT COMPLY WITH. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID CONCERNING OUR APCH, OR THE TFC FOR THAT MATTER (IF IN FACT, IT DID CONCERN US).

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.