Narrative:

While approaching ama, approach advised us to slow to 200 KTS to follow a beech bonanza to the airport. We were about 25 mi from the airport and the bonanza was about 12 mi from the airport. As we slowed and got closer, the bonanza's position was called to us. We did not see the traffic. As our approach to the airport continued the bonanza slowed to his final approach speed. He was called again as traffic and we still did not see him. Our last assigned altitude was 6000 ft MSL. When we were about 6 mi east of the airport, approach gave us a base turn to runway 22 and advised us to 'fly present heading until intercepting final.' about 10 seconds later we saw traffic on about a 2 mi base to final. Being at 6000 ft we were about 2400 ft above the field elevation. The captain was flying and started descent. As this occurred we discussed whether we were actually cleared for the approach. At 5500 ft approach answered our question by telling us to maintain 6000 ft! We called the traffic in sight and were then cleared for the visual to runway 22. The landing was completed without any further event. Traffic separation was never compromised. To avoid recurrence I will: 1) try to learn to never assume, 2) always make sure we are 'clear for approach' before proceeding. Supplemental information from acn 379180: I called controller from operations. We discussed the event. I apologized for my misinterp. He jokingly promised not to stuff a small single engine aircraft in front of us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 ACFT ON VECTORS FOR APCH AND CLRED TO INTERCEPT FINAL. PF, CAPT, INTERPED THE CLRNC AS CLRED FOR APCH AND COMMENCED DSCNT WHEN APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND SAID TO MAINTAIN ALT.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING AMA, APCH ADVISED US TO SLOW TO 200 KTS TO FOLLOW A BEECH BONANZA TO THE ARPT. WE WERE ABOUT 25 MI FROM THE ARPT AND THE BONANZA WAS ABOUT 12 MI FROM THE ARPT. AS WE SLOWED AND GOT CLOSER, THE BONANZA'S POS WAS CALLED TO US. WE DID NOT SEE THE TFC. AS OUR APCH TO THE ARPT CONTINUED THE BONANZA SLOWED TO HIS FINAL APCH SPD. HE WAS CALLED AGAIN AS TFC AND WE STILL DID NOT SEE HIM. OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 6000 FT MSL. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 6 MI E OF THE ARPT, APCH GAVE US A BASE TURN TO RWY 22 AND ADVISED US TO 'FLY PRESENT HDG UNTIL INTERCEPTING FINAL.' ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER WE SAW TFC ON ABOUT A 2 MI BASE TO FINAL. BEING AT 6000 FT WE WERE ABOUT 2400 FT ABOVE THE FIELD ELEVATION. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND STARTED DSCNT. AS THIS OCCURRED WE DISCUSSED WHETHER WE WERE ACTUALLY CLRED FOR THE APCH. AT 5500 FT APCH ANSWERED OUR QUESTION BY TELLING US TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT! WE CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT AND WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 22. THE LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER EVENT. TFC SEPARATION WAS NEVER COMPROMISED. TO AVOID RECURRENCE I WILL: 1) TRY TO LEARN TO NEVER ASSUME, 2) ALWAYS MAKE SURE WE ARE 'CLR FOR APCH' BEFORE PROCEEDING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 379180: I CALLED CTLR FROM OPS. WE DISCUSSED THE EVENT. I APOLOGIZED FOR MY MISINTERP. HE JOKINGLY PROMISED NOT TO STUFF A SMALL SINGLE ENG ACFT IN FRONT OF US.

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.