Narrative:

ZDV cleared us to 12000 ft, expect ILS runway 2. Because of the clear conditions, the captain asked for the VOR runway 30 circle to runway 2, for passenger enjoyment. We were inside the IAF for this approach. We read back the clearance for the VOR approach verbatim and started our descent to 8600 ft MSL on the 15 DME arc. After passing through 9000 ft, center asked us if we were maintaining 12000 ft, the captain said no, we were cleared for the VOR 30 approach. Center said a clearance was not given, even though the captain read it back entirely. I did not hear the original clearance from ATC, so I had just talked to company radio, but I did hear the captain reply with 'cleared for the VOR runway 30 circle to runway 2' without any question from ATC. We were in VMC conditions the whole time, and on the transition leg to the approach, so safety was not an issue. We reported leaving 12000 ft and our clearance for the approach. So ATC didn't hear our original readback in our words or ATC was/could have been working 2 frequencys, and acknowledged our call without really hearing what was said. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying a DC9-30 into glacier park international at kalispell, mt, when the confusion began. The captain read back the requested clearance while the first officer was on company radio so all the first officer heard was the last part of the readback. The controller did not respond and may not have heard the transmission. The FAA has not spoken to the flight crew since the event and when the flight crew called the center the supervisor did not seem to be concerned. The first officer said that he will try in the future to not be off the frequency when the cockpit is busy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEV FROM CLRNC -- CLRNC DISPUTED -- THIS ACR REQUESTED A CIRCLING CLRNC TO LAND AND LATER READ BACK THE CLRNC, BUT THE CTLR, LATER, SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT CLRED. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION THE FLC WAS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THE APCH AND LAND.

Narrative: ZDV CLRED US TO 12000 FT, EXPECT ILS RWY 2. BECAUSE OF THE CLR CONDITIONS, THE CAPT ASKED FOR THE VOR RWY 30 CIRCLE TO RWY 2, FOR PAX ENJOYMENT. WE WERE INSIDE THE IAF FOR THIS APCH. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC FOR THE VOR APCH VERBATIM AND STARTED OUR DSCNT TO 8600 FT MSL ON THE 15 DME ARC. AFTER PASSING THROUGH 9000 FT, CTR ASKED US IF WE WERE MAINTAINING 12000 FT, THE CAPT SAID NO, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VOR 30 APCH. CTR SAID A CLRNC WAS NOT GIVEN, EVEN THOUGH THE CAPT READ IT BACK ENTIRELY. I DID NOT HEAR THE ORIGINAL CLRNC FROM ATC, SO I HAD JUST TALKED TO COMPANY RADIO, BUT I DID HEAR THE CAPT REPLY WITH 'CLRED FOR THE VOR RWY 30 CIRCLE TO RWY 2' WITHOUT ANY QUESTION FROM ATC. WE WERE IN VMC CONDITIONS THE WHOLE TIME, AND ON THE TRANSITION LEG TO THE APCH, SO SAFETY WAS NOT AN ISSUE. WE RPTED LEAVING 12000 FT AND OUR CLRNC FOR THE APCH. SO ATC DIDN'T HEAR OUR ORIGINAL READBACK IN OUR WORDS OR ATC WAS/COULD HAVE BEEN WORKING 2 FREQS, AND ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CALL WITHOUT REALLY HEARING WHAT WAS SAID. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A DC9-30 INTO GLACIER PARK INTL AT KALISPELL, MT, WHEN THE CONFUSION BEGAN. THE CAPT READ BACK THE REQUESTED CLRNC WHILE THE FO WAS ON COMPANY RADIO SO ALL THE FO HEARD WAS THE LAST PART OF THE READBACK. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND AND MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THE XMISSION. THE FAA HAS NOT SPOKEN TO THE FLC SINCE THE EVENT AND WHEN THE FLC CALLED THE CTR THE SUPVR DID NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED. THE FO SAID THAT HE WILL TRY IN THE FUTURE TO NOT BE OFF THE FREQ WHEN THE COCKPIT IS BUSY.

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.