Narrative:

On sat, may, 1990 at approximately pm:00, UTC I filed an IFR flight plan within the duat system to depart visibility at pm 4 hours later, destination emt. The route first officer flight was ptv, V459 darts, IAF. My intention was to execute a VOR B approach originating at vny; I was therefore expecting to be vectored to the final approach course at or near the darts intersection. My clearance as received from fresno approach control was: '...radar vectors to ptv, as filed...' appropriate climb and other information was provided in the clearance also. The flight to the vicinity of darts was uneventful but involved several ATC frequency changes. Shortly after passing lhs I received a clearance to descend to 8000' from 9000' cruising altitude assigned. While in this descent, and on a burbank approach control frequency, I received a frequency change to another burbank approach controller that I assumed was to provide radar vectors and let down instructions for my VOR B approach to emt. I checked in with the controller, and was immediately aware that he was extremely busy due to the heavy volume of radio traffic on his frequency; fully expecting that his next words would contain my clearance and let down instructions, and unable to get a word in until I had passed my clearance limit, darts, at my first opportunity, I inquired 'are you going to run me into the TCA?' he immediately responded with a vector and clearance to intercept V186 pdz in preparation for a VOR a approach to emt. After allowing me an opportunity to get established and before handing me off to ontario approach control he inquired as to why I had remained on V459. We briefly discussed the fact that I was cleared only to darts etc. Subsequent after landing telephone discussions with the supervisor highlighted the fact that there was some confusion as to what clrncs were in fact issued to me; we both agreed that 'something had fallen through the crack.' it is now apparent to me that ATC thought I had been cleared to pdz (IAF) VOR a to emt, while I thought that I would be furnished the appropriate clearance, vectors and letdown by burbank approach control to perform a VOR B approach to emt. Neither of us was correct. The entire episode was sorted out very well when both the controller and I realized that there was a misunderstanding of the actual situation. The controller responded promptly and in a very professional manner to resolve the airspace problems that might have existed. I thank the individuals involved for their professional attitude toward the resolution of the episode, and their heads up performance in recognizing a situation which was not anticipated. This certainly could have had more serious consequences if they had not responded professionally and timely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT EXPERIENCES A HEADING AND TRACK DEVIATION AS HE AND ATC BECOMES CONFUSED AS TO CLRNC LIMIT AND CLRNCS GIVEN.

Narrative: ON SAT, MAY, 1990 AT APPROX PM:00, UTC I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITHIN THE DUAT SYS TO DEPART VIS AT PM 4 HRS LATER, DEST EMT. THE RTE FO FLT WAS PTV, V459 DARTS, IAF. MY INTENTION WAS TO EXECUTE A VOR B APCH ORIGINATING AT VNY; I WAS THEREFORE EXPECTING TO BE VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE AT OR NEAR THE DARTS INTXN. MY CLRNC AS RECEIVED FROM FRESNO APCH CTL WAS: '...RADAR VECTORS TO PTV, AS FILED...' APPROPRIATE CLB AND OTHER INFO WAS PROVIDED IN THE CLRNC ALSO. THE FLT TO THE VICINITY OF DARTS WAS UNEVENTFUL BUT INVOLVED SEVERAL ATC FREQ CHANGES. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING LHS I RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO 8000' FROM 9000' CRUISING ALT ASSIGNED. WHILE IN THIS DSNT, AND ON A BURBANK APCH CTL FREQ, I RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE TO ANOTHER BURBANK APCH CTLR THAT I ASSUMED WAS TO PROVIDE RADAR VECTORS AND LET DOWN INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY VOR B APCH TO EMT. I CHKED IN WITH THE CTLR, AND WAS IMMEDIATELY AWARE THAT HE WAS EXTREMELY BUSY DUE TO THE HEAVY VOLUME OF RADIO TFC ON HIS FREQ; FULLY EXPECTING THAT HIS NEXT WORDS WOULD CONTAIN MY CLRNC AND LET DOWN INSTRUCTIONS, AND UNABLE TO GET A WORD IN UNTIL I HAD PASSED MY CLRNC LIMIT, DARTS, AT MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY, I INQUIRED 'ARE YOU GOING TO RUN ME INTO THE TCA?' HE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED WITH A VECTOR AND CLRNC TO INTERCEPT V186 PDZ IN PREPARATION FOR A VOR A APCH TO EMT. AFTER ALLOWING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ESTABLISHED AND BEFORE HANDING ME OFF TO ONTARIO APCH CTL HE INQUIRED AS TO WHY I HAD REMAINED ON V459. WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT I WAS CLRED ONLY TO DARTS ETC. SUBSEQUENT AFTER LNDG TELEPHONE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SUPVR HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHAT CLRNCS WERE IN FACT ISSUED TO ME; WE BOTH AGREED THAT 'SOMETHING HAD FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACK.' IT IS NOW APPARENT TO ME THAT ATC THOUGHT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO PDZ (IAF) VOR A TO EMT, WHILE I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE FURNISHED THE APPROPRIATE CLRNC, VECTORS AND LETDOWN BY BURBANK APCH CTL TO PERFORM A VOR B APCH TO EMT. NEITHER OF US WAS CORRECT. THE ENTIRE EPISODE WAS SORTED OUT VERY WELL WHEN BOTH THE CTLR AND I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ACTUAL SITUATION. THE CTLR RESPONDED PROMPTLY AND IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER TO RESOLVE THE AIRSPACE PROBS THAT MIGHT HAVE EXISTED. I THANK THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE TOWARD THE RESOLUTION OF THE EPISODE, AND THEIR HEADS UP PERFORMANCE IN RECOGNIZING A SITUATION WHICH WAS NOT ANTICIPATED. THIS CERTAINLY COULD HAVE HAD MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IF THEY HAD NOT RESPONDED PROFESSIONALLY AND TIMELY.

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.