Narrative:

I was the PF on the first day of the job. Flying with a line oriented training captain en route to chs, sc. The controling facility told us to expect the visual into szi. Since the captain and I were both unfamiliar with the airport the captain requested the VOR approach. Not being able to remember the exact words the controller responded with something like this: 'the VOR approach, yeah, that's fine.' so we began a descent to our published altitude on the approach. Descending through approximately 2600 ft MSL the controller said to climb to 3000 ft immediately. Then said 'climb to 3000 ft and left turn to a heading of east immediately, there is military traffic at our 12 O'clock position, climbing out of the AFB.' we immediately climbed and turned to the assigned heading. The captain told the controller he thought we were cleared for the approach, at which I do not really remember hearing the words 'cleared for the approach.' my mistake was totally relying on the captain. I heard everything that was going on but I guess not everything registered. I was flying a new aircraft with a new captain, so I was busy. The PNF set me up for the approach and said to descend to our published altitude. It seems at the time he could have told me to fly into a mountain and I probably would have. I learned a valuable lesson on this flight. I now will be sure to verify all clrncs at all times and to pay more attention to details. The military traffic was a C5, 4 1/2 mi ahead of us, as per the phone conversation with the captain and a controller sitting next to the controller who was working us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN ARR LTT AND DEP MIL ACFT NEAR CHS ARPT. CPR JET LEAVES ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE CLRED FOR APCH.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE JOB. FLYING WITH A LINE ORIENTED TRAINING CAPT ENRTE TO CHS, SC. THE CTLING FACILITY TOLD US TO EXPECT THE VISUAL INTO SZI. SINCE THE CAPT AND I WERE BOTH UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT THE CAPT REQUESTED THE VOR APCH. NOT BEING ABLE TO REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS: 'THE VOR APCH, YEAH, THAT'S FINE.' SO WE BEGAN A DSCNT TO OUR PUBLISHED ALT ON THE APCH. DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 2600 FT MSL THE CTLR SAID TO CLB TO 3000 FT IMMEDIATELY. THEN SAID 'CLB TO 3000 FT AND L TURN TO A HDG OF E IMMEDIATELY, THERE IS MIL TFC AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS, CLBING OUT OF THE AFB.' WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED AND TURNED TO THE ASSIGNED HDG. THE CAPT TOLD THE CTLR HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, AT WHICH I DO NOT REALLY REMEMBER HEARING THE WORDS 'CLRED FOR THE APCH.' MY MISTAKE WAS TOTALLY RELYING ON THE CAPT. I HEARD EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON BUT I GUESS NOT EVERYTHING REGISTERED. I WAS FLYING A NEW ACFT WITH A NEW CAPT, SO I WAS BUSY. THE PNF SET ME UP FOR THE APCH AND SAID TO DSND TO OUR PUBLISHED ALT. IT SEEMS AT THE TIME HE COULD HAVE TOLD ME TO FLY INTO A MOUNTAIN AND I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE. I LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON ON THIS FLT. I NOW WILL BE SURE TO VERIFY ALL CLRNCS AT ALL TIMES AND TO PAY MORE ATTN TO DETAILS. THE MIL TFC WAS A C5, 4 1/2 MI AHEAD OF US, AS PER THE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE CAPT AND A CTLR SITTING NEXT TO THE CTLR WHO WAS WORKING 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.