First officer of a B737 believed that the captain started descent on a STAR arrival prior to being cleared since the controller subsequently gave clearance for the STAR descent.

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Attributes
ACN	451600
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pdz.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : pdz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : student pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 252 flight time total : 9050 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	451600
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about XA52Z, on the paradise 3 arrival, into los angeles, I'm not sure if we began our descent without clearance. We were at 16000 ft, I was the PNF and getting ATIS and calling company regarding ETA and gate status. The captain began a descent after putting a lower altitude in the altitude selector. As I came back to communication #1 (ATC), we had been switched over to another frequency. As I checked on, ATC cleared us to descend via the paradise 3 arrival. The captain said, 'I thought we were already cleared to descend via the arrival.' I don't remember at any time receiving that clearance but I was 'off communication #1' for approximately 1-2 mins when we could have been given that clearance. It was a question the captain and I had, but he felt pretty confident about our descent clearance. (I'm skeptical.) there was never a traffic conflict. The frequencys were very busy. So we were unable to query the situation. Nothing was said by ATC. I'm just unsure. The captain's radio communications were sometimes not complete. (This was my first flight of a 3 day trip with this captain.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B737 BELIEVED THAT THE CAPT STARTED DSCNT ON A STAR ARR PRIOR TO BEING CLRED SINCE THE CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE CLRNC FOR THE STAR DSCNT.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA52Z, ON THE PARADISE 3 ARR, INTO LOS ANGELES, I'M NOT SURE IF WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT WITHOUT CLRNC. WE WERE AT 16000 FT, I WAS THE PNF AND GETTING ATIS AND CALLING COMPANY REGARDING ETA AND GATE STATUS. THE CAPT BEGAN A DSCNT AFTER PUTTING A LOWER ALT IN THE ALT SELECTOR. AS I CAME BACK TO COM #1 (ATC), WE HAD BEEN SWITCHED OVER TO ANOTHER FREQ. AS I CHKED ON, ATC CLRED US TO DSND VIA THE PARADISE 3 ARR. THE CAPT SAID, 'I THOUGHT WE WERE ALREADY CLRED TO DSND VIA THE ARR.' I DON'T REMEMBER AT ANY TIME RECEIVING THAT CLRNC BUT I WAS 'OFF COM #1' FOR APPROX 1-2 MINS WHEN WE COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THAT CLRNC. IT WAS A QUESTION THE CAPT AND I HAD, BUT HE FELT PRETTY CONFIDENT ABOUT OUR DSCNT CLRNC. (I'M SKEPTICAL.) THERE WAS NEVER A TFC CONFLICT. THE FREQS WERE VERY BUSY. SO WE WERE UNABLE TO QUERY THE SIT. NOTHING WAS SAID BY ATC. I'M JUST UNSURE. THE CAPT'S RADIO COMS WERE SOMETIMES NOT COMPLETE. (THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT OF A 3 DAY TRIP WITH THIS CAPT.)

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.