Narrative:

Approximately 20 mins from landing at slc, ZLC told us to expect FL190 in 3 mins. The captain was flying, I informed him that I would be off ATC frequency to get the ATIS, and he acknowledged. As I listened to ATIS I saw the captain talking to center and setting FL190 into the altitude alert window. I finished copying ATIS and told the captain I was back on ATC. We leveled at FL190 and crossed spane intersection on the spane arrival into slc. The captain then said, 'set and arm 15000 ft.' I set 15000 ft in the altitude alert window and asked him if we had been cleared for the spane arrival which includes a profile descent to various altitudes. He said, 'I think so.' I immediately tried calling ZLC for verification, but the controller and another aircraft started a discussion about a TCASII RA the other crew was following. I was unable to get a word in edgewise for approximately 30 seconds. Meanwhile, the captain started a descent to 15000 ft to comply with a crossing restr on the arrival. I finally got through to ZLC and asked them if we'd been cleared for the arrival. They said 'no,' to maintain FL190 and that slc approach would clear us for the arrival. They switched us to slc approach. I called approach and told them we were at 17800 ft, climbing back up to FL190. They then cleared us to 17000 ft. Contributing factors: captain's failure to verbalize clearance to first officer and delay I communicating with ATC.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FREQ CONGESTION, AND THE MISCONCEPTION THAT THE CREW HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE ARR, LED TO A DSCNT WITHOUT A CLRNC. THE ARR CONTAINS PUBLISHED XING RESTRS 'TO EXPECT,' AND IF THE PF STARTED DOWN BEFORE THE PNF COULD VERIFY CLRNC FOR THE ARR.

Narrative: APPROX 20 MINS FROM LNDG AT SLC, ZLC TOLD US TO EXPECT FL190 IN 3 MINS. THE CAPT WAS FLYING, I INFORMED HIM THAT I WOULD BE OFF ATC FREQ TO GET THE ATIS, AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED. AS I LISTENED TO ATIS I SAW THE CAPT TALKING TO CTR AND SETTING FL190 INTO THE ALT ALERT WINDOW. I FINISHED COPYING ATIS AND TOLD THE CAPT I WAS BACK ON ATC. WE LEVELED AT FL190 AND CROSSED SPANE INTXN ON THE SPANE ARR INTO SLC. THE CAPT THEN SAID, 'SET AND ARM 15000 FT.' I SET 15000 FT IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW AND ASKED HIM IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE SPANE ARR WHICH INCLUDES A PROFILE DSCNT TO VARIOUS ALTS. HE SAID, 'I THINK SO.' I IMMEDIATELY TRIED CALLING ZLC FOR VERIFICATION, BUT THE CTLR AND ANOTHER ACFT STARTED A DISCUSSION ABOUT A TCASII RA THE OTHER CREW WAS FOLLOWING. I WAS UNABLE TO GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE FOR APPROX 30 SECONDS. MEANWHILE, THE CAPT STARTED A DSCNT TO 15000 FT TO COMPLY WITH A XING RESTR ON THE ARR. I FINALLY GOT THROUGH TO ZLC AND ASKED THEM IF WE'D BEEN CLRED FOR THE ARR. THEY SAID 'NO,' TO MAINTAIN FL190 AND THAT SLC APCH WOULD CLR US FOR THE ARR. THEY SWITCHED US TO SLC APCH. I CALLED APCH AND TOLD THEM WE WERE AT 17800 FT, CLBING BACK UP TO FL190. THEY THEN CLRED US TO 17000 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CAPT'S FAILURE TO VERBALIZE CLRNC TO FO AND DELAY I COMMUNICATING WITH ATC.

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.