<< >> NASA ASRS Report 429380, February 1999

The captain of an LR35 air taxi turns off the arrival route to runway 12 at stl when he misinterps the clearance as issued by stl approach controller.

Attributes
ACN	429380
Time
Date	199902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : csx.vor
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : vla.vla4
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	429380
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight from lga to stl and on the vandalia for arrival (vla.VLA4). We had just passed vla and were in the descent. Stl was landing runway 12R&left. We had passed muzul intersection and told by approach to descend to 4000 ft and heading 190 degree vectors for the ILS runway 12R. We descended to 4000 ft on a heading when we were told by approach to verify our heading, we responded 190. Approach then told us to fly heading 270 degrees to rejoin the arrival and to fly heading 190 degrees after staan intersection. We complied with the controller and landed on runway 12R. Both me and my first officer heard and read back the initial clearance that took us off the STAR. We think that in the controller's call he meant to say descend to 4000 ft, staan heading 19O degree vectors ILS runway 12R. The phonetics of 'and' and 'staan' I believe to be the cause for the confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE CAPT OF AN LR35 AIR TAXI TURNS OFF THE ARR RTE TO RWY 12 AT STL WHEN HE MISINTERPS THE CLRNC AS ISSUED BY STL APCH CTLR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT FROM LGA TO STL AND ON THE VANDALIA FOR ARR (VLA.VLA4). WE HAD JUST PASSED VLA AND WERE IN THE DSCNT. STL WAS LNDG RWY 12R&L. WE HAD PASSED MUZUL INTXN AND TOLD BY APCH TO DSND TO 4000 FT AND HDG 190 DEG VECTORS FOR THE ILS RWY 12R. WE DSNDED TO 4000 FT ON A HDG WHEN WE WERE TOLD BY APCH TO VERIFY OUR HDG, WE RESPONDED 190. APCH THEN TOLD US TO FLY HDG 270 DEGS TO REJOIN THE ARR AND TO FLY HDG 190 DEGS AFTER STAAN INTXN. WE COMPLIED WITH THE CTLR AND LANDED ON RWY 12R. BOTH ME AND MY FO HEARD AND READ BACK THE INITIAL CLRNC THAT TOOK US OFF THE STAR. WE THINK THAT IN THE CTLR'S CALL HE MEANT TO SAY DSND TO 4000 FT, STAAN HDG 19O DEG VECTORS ILS RWY 12R. THE PHONETICS OF 'AND' AND 'STAAN' I BELIEVE TO BE THE CAUSE FOR THE CONFUSION.

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.