Narrative:

We were at 4000 ft, receiving vectors to kennedy. Traffic was being vectored to the visual approach for runway 22L. I was anticipating clearance to a lower altitude when I heard '(call sign) cleared visual approach runway 22L.' I make it a steadfast habit to always repeat aloud the instructions/clrncs I receive so I said 'cleared visual.' I slowed the aircraft, disconnected the autoplt, called for flaps 1 degree, then flaps 5 degrees, and started a gentle descent. Shortly thereafter, approach said, '(call sign) what's your altitude?' the captain quickly asked me 'what are you doing?' I replied that we were cleared the visual and the captain replied that no, we were told to 'expect' the visual. About this time, approach came back and said, 'cleared visual approach runway 22L.' no comments, verbal reprimands, instructions to call anyone, etc, were received and other than the hurt pride of someone who attempts to maintain high professional standards with no errors, the rest of the approach and landing were uneventful. The captain and I attempted to reconstruct how this all transpired. There is one element of which we are still unsure, whether we were in fact cleared for the approach or only told to 'expect.' I have often received the same clearance more than once after the controller forgot he/she had already given it. However, and here are lessons learned (or possible causes/contributing factors): fatigue -- we had been flying for over 10 hours returning from moscow. I was tired and I could have heard what I wanted to hear. Anticipating a clearance and hearing what you expect and not what was said. I was actually reaching for the airspeed knob to slow the aircraft when the 'clearance' was received so I might have heard what I wanted. Finally, as I said earlier, I always repeat the clearance aloud. I do this so as to avoid exactly this type of incident, however, this procedure only works if someone is listening. Listen to what your buddy says -- when he repeats the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B767 FLC START AN UNAUTH DSCNT FROM THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WHEN THE FO MISHEARD AN 'EXPECT' CLRNC AS AN ACTUAL CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 4000 FT, RECEIVING VECTORS TO KENNEDY. TFC WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 22L. I WAS ANTICIPATING CLRNC TO A LOWER ALT WHEN I HEARD '(CALL SIGN) CLRED VISUAL APCH RWY 22L.' I MAKE IT A STEADFAST HABIT TO ALWAYS REPEAT ALOUD THE INSTRUCTIONS/CLRNCS I RECEIVE SO I SAID 'CLRED VISUAL.' I SLOWED THE ACFT, DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, CALLED FOR FLAPS 1 DEG, THEN FLAPS 5 DEGS, AND STARTED A GENTLE DSCNT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, APCH SAID, '(CALL SIGN) WHAT'S YOUR ALT?' THE CAPT QUICKLY ASKED ME 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' I REPLIED THAT WE WERE CLRED THE VISUAL AND THE CAPT REPLIED THAT NO, WE WERE TOLD TO 'EXPECT' THE VISUAL. ABOUT THIS TIME, APCH CAME BACK AND SAID, 'CLRED VISUAL APCH RWY 22L.' NO COMMENTS, VERBAL REPRIMANDS, INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL ANYONE, ETC, WERE RECEIVED AND OTHER THAN THE HURT PRIDE OF SOMEONE WHO ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN HIGH PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS WITH NO ERRORS, THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE CAPT AND I ATTEMPTED TO RECONSTRUCT HOW THIS ALL TRANSPIRED. THERE IS ONE ELEMENT OF WHICH WE ARE STILL UNSURE, WHETHER WE WERE IN FACT CLRED FOR THE APCH OR ONLY TOLD TO 'EXPECT.' I HAVE OFTEN RECEIVED THE SAME CLRNC MORE THAN ONCE AFTER THE CTLR FORGOT HE/SHE HAD ALREADY GIVEN IT. HOWEVER, AND HERE ARE LESSONS LEARNED (OR POSSIBLE CAUSES/CONTRIBUTING FACTORS): FATIGUE -- WE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR OVER 10 HRS RETURNING FROM MOSCOW. I WAS TIRED AND I COULD HAVE HEARD WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. ANTICIPATING A CLRNC AND HEARING WHAT YOU EXPECT AND NOT WHAT WAS SAID. I WAS ACTUALLY REACHING FOR THE AIRSPD KNOB TO SLOW THE ACFT WHEN THE 'CLRNC' WAS RECEIVED SO I MIGHT HAVE HEARD WHAT I WANTED. FINALLY, AS I SAID EARLIER, I ALWAYS REPEAT THE CLRNC ALOUD. I DO THIS SO AS TO AVOID EXACTLY THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT, HOWEVER, THIS PROC ONLY WORKS IF SOMEONE IS LISTENING. LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR BUDDY SAYS -- WHEN HE REPEATS THE CLRNC.

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.