Narrative:

I was en route from montreal, canada, to harrisburg, PA. We were north of the rockdale VOR when center cleared us direct to harrisburg. I read back the clearance direct to the harrisburg VOR direct to the airport since we were negative RNAV. The controller corrected me that we were cleared direct to the airport. I advised the controller that we were negative RNAV and would require a vector. The controller then assigned a heading of 215 degree for the airport. Approximately 10 mins later we were issued a clearance to cross 15 NM north of harrisburg at 9000 ft. I acknowledged the clearance. This is where the problem arose. I thought that the clearance was to cross 15 NM north of the harrisburg VOR since we were not RNAV equipped and had no way to identify a fix 15 north of the airport. Shortly after we began our descent, a couple of mins later, we were issued a heading for traffic. After descending through approximately FL250 we were cleared direct harrisburg. There was a little frequency congestion so we started our turn towards the airport intending to obtain a new vector as soon as the frequency was clear. However, due to cockpit workload (approach checklist) we failed to obtain a vector from ATC for direct to the airport. The problem was discovered when ATC requested our altitude and I believe I responded descending through 14000 or 15000 ft. I didn't believe there was a problem because we were still 30 NM north of the VOR. ATC advised us that we were now 17 north of the airport and failed to meet our restriction. At this point, we deployed our spoilers to increase our descent and were level at 9000 in about 1 1/2 mins. Before I could advise center that I thought our restriction was the VOR, our second problem was discovered, that we were off course. ATC then advised how we were navigating. I informed him of our heading. ATC asked us if we were RNAV equipped. I responded negative. ATC then asked how come we accepted the clearance when we were not RNAV equipped. I made an attempt to explain how we were navigating. ATC then gave us a heading for the airport. I responded that we had the airport in sight and he handed us off to harrisburg approach. We contacted approach and executed a visual approach to the airport. I believe that a contributing factor affecting my performance may have been fatigue. This, I believe is why I perceived that the controller was using the VOR for the crossing restriction and not the airport, and also failing to request a new vector for the airport. The first problem could have been corrected by either the controller when issuing or myself when reading back the clearance being specific on stating that the restriction was from the airport not the VOR, since they both have the same name. The second problem was improper technique on my part. I should have waited until the frequency was clear to obtain a vector instead of turning and then trying to obtain a vector. Therefore, I wouldn't have been distracted by the approach checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI ACFT MISINTERPRETS CLRNC, MISSES XING ALT RESTRICTION.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM MONTREAL, CANADA, TO HARRISBURG, PA. WE WERE N OF THE ROCKDALE VOR WHEN CTR CLRED US DIRECT TO HARRISBURG. I READ BACK THE CLRNC DIRECT TO THE HARRISBURG VOR DIRECT TO THE ARPT SINCE WE WERE NEGATIVE RNAV. THE CTLR CORRECTED ME THAT WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE ARPT. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE NEGATIVE RNAV AND WOULD REQUIRE A VECTOR. THE CTLR THEN ASSIGNED A HDG OF 215 DEG FOR THE ARPT. APPROX 10 MINS LATER WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO CROSS 15 NM N OF HARRISBURG AT 9000 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC. THIS IS WHERE THE PROB AROSE. I THOUGHT THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO CROSS 15 NM N OF THE HARRISBURG VOR SINCE WE WERE NOT RNAV EQUIPPED AND HAD NO WAY TO IDENT A FIX 15 N OF THE ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT, A COUPLE OF MINS LATER, WE WERE ISSUED A HDG FOR TFC. AFTER DSNDING THROUGH APPROX FL250 WE WERE CLRED DIRECT HARRISBURG. THERE WAS A LITTLE FREQ CONGESTION SO WE STARTED OUR TURN TOWARDS THE ARPT INTENDING TO OBTAIN A NEW VECTOR AS SOON AS THE FREQ WAS CLR. HOWEVER, DUE TO COCKPIT WORKLOAD (APCH CHKLIST) WE FAILED TO OBTAIN A VECTOR FROM ATC FOR DIRECT TO THE ARPT. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED WHEN ATC REQUESTED OUR ALT AND I BELIEVE I RESPONDED DSNDING THROUGH 14000 OR 15000 FT. I DIDN'T BELIEVE THERE WAS A PROB BECAUSE WE WERE STILL 30 NM N OF THE VOR. ATC ADVISED US THAT WE WERE NOW 17 N OF THE ARPT AND FAILED TO MEET OUR RESTRICTION. AT THIS POINT, WE DEPLOYED OUR SPOILERS TO INCREASE OUR DSCNT AND WERE LEVEL AT 9000 IN ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS. BEFORE I COULD ADVISE CTR THAT I THOUGHT OUR RESTRICTION WAS THE VOR, OUR SECOND PROB WAS DISCOVERED, THAT WE WERE OFF COURSE. ATC THEN ADVISED HOW WE WERE NAVING. I INFORMED HIM OF OUR HDG. ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE RNAV EQUIPPED. I RESPONDED NEGATIVE. ATC THEN ASKED HOW COME WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC WHEN WE WERE NOT RNAV EQUIPPED. I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN HOW WE WERE NAVING. ATC THEN GAVE US A HDG FOR THE ARPT. I RESPONDED THAT WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND HE HANDED US OFF TO HARRISBURG APCH. WE CONTACTED APCH AND EXECUTED A VISUAL APCH TO THE ARPT. I BELIEVE THAT A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AFFECTING MY PERFORMANCE MAY HAVE BEEN FATIGUE. THIS, I BELIEVE IS WHY I PERCEIVED THAT THE CTLR WAS USING THE VOR FOR THE XING RESTRICTION AND NOT THE ARPT, AND ALSO FAILING TO REQUEST A NEW VECTOR FOR THE ARPT. THE FIRST PROB COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED BY EITHER THE CTLR WHEN ISSUING OR MYSELF WHEN READING BACK THE CLRNC BEING SPECIFIC ON STATING THAT THE RESTRICTION WAS FROM THE ARPT NOT THE VOR, SINCE THEY BOTH HAVE THE SAME NAME. THE SECOND PROB WAS IMPROPER TECHNIQUE ON MY PART. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL THE FREQ WAS CLR TO OBTAIN A VECTOR INSTEAD OF TURNING AND THEN TRYING TO OBTAIN A VECTOR. THEREFORE, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED BY THE APCH CHKLIST.

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.