<< >> NASA ASRS Report 331400, March 1996

Flight crew of an large transport were queried by the approach controller when they completed the published turn, while established on the finks arrival into dca. The controller stated that they should have been cleared direct to dca after crossing the VOR. The crew members did not hear a clearance of 'direct to national.'

Attributes
ACN	331400
Time
Date	199603
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml airport : dca
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : dca
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	331400
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	331308
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on finks 6 arrival to dca, we received a clearance to proceed to aml VOR. After passing aml VOR we continued with the arrival as published. At the 14 DME fix we turned to a 180 degree heading as appropriate for the arrival. Once established, approach asked us to state 'our intentions.' we replied by saying we were complying with the finks 6 arrival. The controller said we were cleared direct to aml VOR then direct to national. We, as a crew, did not hear this clearance nor did we read it back as such. There was no traffic conflict, to our knowledge. This was a situation where the controller had thought he gave us a clearance and did not listen for an appropriate readback from the crew. Supplemental information from acn 331308: controller stated we should have been cleared direct dca VOR after aml. This was never heard or read back by any of the 3 crew members on board. Approach then issued radar vector to final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT WERE QUERIED BY THE APCH CTLR WHEN THEY COMPLETED THE PUBLISHED TURN, WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE FINKS ARR INTO DCA. THE CTLR STATED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO DCA AFTER XING THE VOR. THE CREW MEMBERS DID NOT HEAR A CLRNC OF 'DIRECT TO NATIONAL.'

Narrative: WHILE ON FINKS 6 ARR TO DCA, WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO PROCEED TO AML VOR. AFTER PASSING AML VOR WE CONTINUED WITH THE ARR AS PUBLISHED. AT THE 14 DME FIX WE TURNED TO A 180 DEG HDG AS APPROPRIATE FOR THE ARR. ONCE ESTABLISHED, APCH ASKED US TO STATE 'OUR INTENTIONS.' WE REPLIED BY SAYING WE WERE COMPLYING WITH THE FINKS 6 ARR. THE CTLR SAID WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO AML VOR THEN DIRECT TO NATIONAL. WE, AS A CREW, DID NOT HEAR THIS CLRNC NOR DID WE READ IT BACK AS SUCH. THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE. THIS WAS A SIT WHERE THE CTLR HAD THOUGHT HE GAVE US A CLRNC AND DID NOT LISTEN FOR AN APPROPRIATE READBACK FROM THE CREW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 331308: CTLR STATED WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLRED DIRECT DCA VOR AFTER AML. THIS WAS NEVER HEARD OR READ BACK BY ANY OF THE 3 CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD. APCH THEN ISSUED RADAR VECTOR TO FINAL.

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.