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Instrument rated private pilot of a beech bonanza BE35 descended from assigned altitude during a visual approach due to a misunderstanding of tower's phraseology of 'cleared straight in runway 32.'
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 440684 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199906 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : slc.airport |
| State Reference | UT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4250 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : slc.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 35 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in approach : visual arrival : vfr |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 440684 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was flying VFR in a bonanza, approaching slc. Approach assigned 6000 ft MSL over I-15. I was handed off to tower, who was talking to a single engine plane about to depart runway 14 (? Mooney). He was told to expect a right turnout with takeoff (away from me). He was cleared for takeoff, and shortly after this, I was cleared 'straight in runway 32.' I was approximately 3 mi from approach end of runway 32, and began to descend, keeping an eye on the departing traffic, which did indeed turn away from my planned course. Tower then admonished me for leaving 6000 ft. After I landed, tower indicated that he meant that I should fly directly to runway 32 without descending from 6000 ft. I always thought that 'cleared straight in' was a landing clearance. I was also expecting a straight-in clearance and it seemed that separation would not be a problem. I will be sure to confirm this kind of instruction in the future.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: INST RATED PVT PLT OF A BEECH BONANZA BE35 DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT DURING A VISUAL APCH DUE TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF TWR'S PHRASEOLOGY OF 'CLRED STRAIGHT IN RWY 32.'
Narrative: I WAS FLYING VFR IN A BONANZA, APCHING SLC. APCH ASSIGNED 6000 FT MSL OVER I-15. I WAS HANDED OFF TO TWR, WHO WAS TALKING TO A SINGLE ENG PLANE ABOUT TO DEPART RWY 14 (? MOONEY). HE WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A R TURNOUT WITH TKOF (AWAY FROM ME). HE WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, AND SHORTLY AFTER THIS, I WAS CLRED 'STRAIGHT IN RWY 32.' I WAS APPROX 3 MI FROM APCH END OF RWY 32, AND BEGAN TO DSND, KEEPING AN EYE ON THE DEPARTING TFC, WHICH DID INDEED TURN AWAY FROM MY PLANNED COURSE. TWR THEN ADMONISHED ME FOR LEAVING 6000 FT. AFTER I LANDED, TWR INDICATED THAT HE MEANT THAT I SHOULD FLY DIRECTLY TO RWY 32 WITHOUT DSNDING FROM 6000 FT. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT 'CLRED STRAIGHT IN' WAS A LNDG CLRNC. I WAS ALSO EXPECTING A STRAIGHT-IN CLRNC AND IT SEEMED THAT SEPARATION WOULD NOT BE A PROB. I WILL BE SURE TO CONFIRM THIS KIND OF INSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE.
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.