Narrative:

We contacted new york approach control on 127.6 and advised 3000 ft; heading 300 with information romeo. The controller asked what approach we were requesting? We replied by requesting a visual approach. The controller asked if we had the field in sight. We replied we had the field in sight. We were approximately 3 miles from the airport at 3000 ft heading 300 when we crossed the centerline for runway 23. I asked the controller what was the plan? The controller replied 'there is no plan'. The controller said fly heading 290 and asked if we had the airport in sight. We replied we had the field in sight. The controller asked if we could take a turn in for the visual approach. I asked for a 270 degree turn back to the final approach course. We both heard the controller say turn to 180 degrees and descend to 2000 ft. We read it back. The controller did not say anything. I started the turn and decent. The controller asked if we were making a left turn. I was in a right turn. The controller must have forgotten about the 2000 ft descent. Both of us heard him say 2000 ft. The controller then said maintain 3000 ft. I had descended to 2600 ft at that time. We climbed back up to 3000 ft. The controller then asked if we had the field in sight. We replied we had the field in sight. The controller cleared us for the visual approach to runway 23 and contact the control tower. Nothing else was said by the approach controller. There was no traffic conflict or traffic in the area. The controller did not hear or understand we had the airport in sight. The controller stated that he 'did not have a plan'. You can check the tapes on that quote. The controller forgot he had decended us and then told us to maintain 3000 ft. We should have confirmed that the controller understood that we had the airport when he asked us the first time. If we were cleared for the visual approach initially; there would not been any issues.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Commercial jet flight crew reported difficulty obtaining approach clearance.

Narrative: We contacted New York Approach Control on 127.6 and advised 3000 ft; heading 300 with information Romeo. The controller asked what approach we were requesting? We replied by requesting a visual approach. The controller asked if we had the field in sight. We replied we had the field in sight. We were approximately 3 miles from the airport at 3000 ft heading 300 when we crossed the centerline for runway 23. I asked the controller what was the plan? The controller replied 'there is no plan'. The controller said fly heading 290 and asked if we had the airport in sight. We replied we had the field in sight. The controller asked if we could take a turn in for the visual approach. I asked for a 270 degree turn back to the final approach course. We both heard the controller say turn to 180 degrees and descend to 2000 ft. We read it back. The controller did not say anything. I started the turn and decent. The controller asked if we were making a left turn. I was in a right turn. The controller must have forgotten about the 2000 ft descent. Both of us heard him say 2000 ft. The controller then said maintain 3000 ft. I had descended to 2600 ft at that time. We climbed back up to 3000 ft. The controller then asked if we had the field in sight. We replied we had the field in sight. The controller cleared us for the visual approach to runway 23 and contact the control tower. Nothing else was said by the approach controller. There was no traffic conflict or traffic in the area. The controller did not hear or understand we had the airport in sight. The controller stated that he 'did not have a plan'. You can check the tapes on that quote. The controller forgot he had decended us and then told us to maintain 3000 ft. We should have confirmed that the controller understood that we had the airport when he asked us the first time. If we were cleared for the visual approach initially; there would not been any issues.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.