Narrative:

We were monitoring center while approaching sie VOR at 9000 ft MSL. After sie our clearance was direct to the acy VOR for a landing at acy. After sie we made the turn to acy VOR. Approximately 12-14 mi from acy center turned us over to acy approach control. Approach control issued clearance, '....after sie intercept the sie 059 radial.' the captain informed him that we were already past sie. The controller then said, 'turn right to intercept the sie 059 radial descent and maintain 5000 ft.' approximately 8 mi from the airport, the captain told the controller 'we have the airport in sight can we get the visibility.' the controller said he wasn't able to do that acy radar was out of service. The controller then issued a clearance to cross avalo intersection at or above 3000 ft. We were 6 mi from the airport descending to 3000 ft in a highly dense traffic area and this controller is giving us radials and intersection crossing restrictions on an arwy that we weren't originally cleared on or even told to expect a clearance on. We then determined that avalo intersection was well behind us and to proceed to that intersection would require approximately a 160 degree right turn. We were almost established on the sie 059 right outbnd. We were directly abeam the acy airport heading northeast away from the airport. The captain again stated his desire for the visibility approach since the clear obviously had no earthly idea where we were. The controller, getting as frustrated with the whole ordeal as we were told us to turn right direct to sie VOR. Finally the controller told us that tower had us in sight and we were cleared for the visibility approach. We continued with an uneventful landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG HAD TROUBLE GETTING CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH TO ACY.

Narrative: WE WERE MONITORING CTR WHILE APCHING SIE VOR AT 9000 FT MSL. AFTER SIE OUR CLRNC WAS DIRECT TO THE ACY VOR FOR A LNDG AT ACY. AFTER SIE WE MADE THE TURN TO ACY VOR. APPROX 12-14 MI FROM ACY CTR TURNED US OVER TO ACY APCH CTL. APCH CTL ISSUED CLRNC, '....AFTER SIE INTERCEPT THE SIE 059 RADIAL.' THE CAPT INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE ALREADY PAST SIE. THE CTLR THEN SAID, 'TURN R TO INTERCEPT THE SIE 059 RADIAL DSNT AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' APPROX 8 MI FROM THE ARPT, THE CAPT TOLD THE CTLR 'WE HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT CAN WE GET THE VIS.' THE CTLR SAID HE WASN'T ABLE TO DO THAT ACY RADAR WAS OUT OF SVC. THE CTLR THEN ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS AVALO INTXN AT OR ABOVE 3000 FT. WE WERE 6 MI FROM THE ARPT DSNDING TO 3000 FT IN A HIGHLY DENSE TFC AREA AND THIS CTLR IS GIVING US RADIALS AND INTXN XING RESTRICTIONS ON AN ARWY THAT WE WEREN'T ORIGINALLY CLRED ON OR EVEN TOLD TO EXPECT A CLRNC ON. WE THEN DETERMINED THAT AVALO INTXN WAS WELL BEHIND US AND TO PROCEED TO THAT INTXN WOULD REQUIRE APPROX A 160 DEG R TURN. WE WERE ALMOST ESTABLISHED ON THE SIE 059 R OUTBND. WE WERE DIRECTLY ABEAM THE ACY ARPT HDG NE AWAY FROM THE ARPT. THE CAPT AGAIN STATED HIS DESIRE FOR THE VIS APCH SINCE THE CLR OBVIOUSLY HAD NO EARTHLY IDEA WHERE WE WERE. THE CTLR, GETTING AS FRUSTRATED WITH THE WHOLE ORDEAL AS WE WERE TOLD US TO TURN R DIRECT TO SIE VOR. FINALLY THE CTLR TOLD US THAT TWR HAD US IN SIGHT AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH. WE CONTINUED WITH AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.