Flight crew of WW24 misinterprets clearance to be airport rather than VOR of same name. They miss th...

Attributes
ACN	373420
Time
Date	199707
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pkb
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	IAI1124/1124A/Westwind
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	373420
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Had filed IFR from yng to pkb via direct, was cleared as filed. After departure, did receive some vectors, but was reclred direct to pkb airport. En route, ZOB gave us the clearance 'cross 20 DME northwest of pkb at and maintain 7000 ft.' we accepted clearance, and I programmed GPS to drive the GS indicators so as to maintain a 3 degree GS to cross 20 mi northwest of the airport at 7000 ft. Followed the indicators. I crossed the 20 DME arc of jpu VOR at approximately 8200 ft. About that time the ZOB controller spoke up to announce that I passed my crossing restr. During his continued remarks, I picked up the descent rate, unknown if there was a traffic conflict, but controller did mention that traffic was the reason for the restr, would have made the restr for 20 NM from airport. In hindsight, shame of me for not clarifying clearance when issued. At the time, had no doubts (as to what was meant) as I was going direct to pkb airport. (On the way to field, passed within about 4 DME of jpu VOR.) also, it's common to hear a controller issue a clearance (to the effect) of 'cross an arc 'nn' DME 'direction' of 'fix'' when the fix is not on one's route. In the future I'll be adding the words 'VOR' or 'airport' to all clrncs where there may be a miscom such as crw/hvq (VOR) and allegheny airport (agc) versus agc (VOR). Most of the idents have been changed for non co-located vors/airports -- perhaps it's time to issue different names.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF WW24 MISINTERPRETS CLRNC TO BE ARPT RATHER THAN VOR OF SAME NAME. THEY MISS THE XING RESTR. ATC USED THE NAME RATHER THAN INDICATING VOR LEADING TO THE CONFUSION.

Narrative: HAD FILED IFR FROM YNG TO PKB VIA DIRECT, WAS CLRED AS FILED. AFTER DEP, DID RECEIVE SOME VECTORS, BUT WAS RECLRED DIRECT TO PKB ARPT. ENRTE, ZOB GAVE US THE CLRNC 'CROSS 20 DME NW OF PKB AT AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT.' WE ACCEPTED CLRNC, AND I PROGRAMMED GPS TO DRIVE THE GS INDICATORS SO AS TO MAINTAIN A 3 DEG GS TO CROSS 20 MI NW OF THE ARPT AT 7000 FT. FOLLOWED THE INDICATORS. I CROSSED THE 20 DME ARC OF JPU VOR AT APPROX 8200 FT. ABOUT THAT TIME THE ZOB CTLR SPOKE UP TO ANNOUNCE THAT I PASSED MY XING RESTR. DURING HIS CONTINUED REMARKS, I PICKED UP THE DSCNT RATE, UNKNOWN IF THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT, BUT CTLR DID MENTION THAT TFC WAS THE REASON FOR THE RESTR, WOULD HAVE MADE THE RESTR FOR 20 NM FROM ARPT. IN HINDSIGHT, SHAME OF ME FOR NOT CLARIFYING CLRNC WHEN ISSUED. AT THE TIME, HAD NO DOUBTS (AS TO WHAT WAS MEANT) AS I WAS GOING DIRECT TO PKB ARPT. (ON THE WAY TO FIELD, PASSED WITHIN ABOUT 4 DME OF JPU VOR.) ALSO, IT'S COMMON TO HEAR A CTLR ISSUE A CLRNC (TO THE EFFECT) OF 'CROSS AN ARC 'NN' DME 'DIRECTION' OF 'FIX'' WHEN THE FIX IS NOT ON ONE'S RTE. IN THE FUTURE I'LL BE ADDING THE WORDS 'VOR' OR 'ARPT' TO ALL CLRNCS WHERE THERE MAY BE A MISCOM SUCH AS CRW/HVQ (VOR) AND ALLEGHENY ARPT (AGC) VERSUS AGC (VOR). MOST OF THE IDENTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR NON CO-LOCATED VORS/ARPTS -- PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO ISSUE DIFFERENT NAMES.

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.

Flight crew of WW24 misinterprets clearance to be airport rather than VOR of same name. They miss the crossing restr. ATC used the name rather than indicating VOR leading to the confusion.