Narrative:

Vectored for approach to runway 5R at cle. 20 NM out, told approach controller (128.35) we had field in sight. Approach asked 'who has field in sight?' we replied, with full call sign. They rogered. Approach then cleared what we thought was 'air carrier xyz' for the visual approach. First officer acknowledged visual, approach clearance, with full call sign. There was no response to this and we switched to tower (which we were also instructed to do). We checked in with tower at 12 NM from fld and were cleared to land. At 3600 ft MSL we were given instructions to climb to 4000 ft, turn to 320 degrees and switch back to approach on 128.35. Approach told us we weren't cleared for approach or frequency change to tower. We were vectored around and second attempt was uneventful. Upon landing, I called radar and spoke with the supervisor. He was not aware of the tower landing clearance and said he would review the tapes and get back to me. We spoke face-to-face a few mins later at the gate. He said the controller was under training. She acknowledged our field in sight call, then cleared 'air carrier zyz' for the visual from a base position in front of us. As she issued the clearance to zyz, she clipped off the call sign by not pressing the microphone switch before she spoke. We received what we thought was a visual clearance and radio change which was acknowledged with full call sign and not challenged. Our position on final and pacing was typical of a visual approach. We were not aware of preceding traffic's position and radar's sequencing plan until after landing. The supervisor broke in on tower frequency to issue go around. The supervisor confirmed there was no loss of separation between aircraft. No harm, no foul, just miscoms on both sides.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD88 ACCEPTS AND STARTS TO EXECUTE A VISUAL APCH WHEN THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER FLC AHEAD OF THEM WHILE 20 MI SW OF CLE, OH.

Narrative: VECTORED FOR APCH TO RWY 5R AT CLE. 20 NM OUT, TOLD APCH CTLR (128.35) WE HAD FIELD IN SIGHT. APCH ASKED 'WHO HAS FIELD IN SIGHT?' WE REPLIED, WITH FULL CALL SIGN. THEY ROGERED. APCH THEN CLRED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS 'ACR XYZ' FOR THE VISUAL APCH. FO ACKNOWLEDGED VISUAL, APCH CLRNC, WITH FULL CALL SIGN. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO THIS AND WE SWITCHED TO TWR (WHICH WE WERE ALSO INSTRUCTED TO DO). WE CHKED IN WITH TWR AT 12 NM FROM FLD AND WERE CLRED TO LAND. AT 3600 FT MSL WE WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO 4000 FT, TURN TO 320 DEGS AND SWITCH BACK TO APCH ON 128.35. APCH TOLD US WE WEREN'T CLRED FOR APCH OR FREQ CHANGE TO TWR. WE WERE VECTORED AROUND AND SECOND ATTEMPT WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON LNDG, I CALLED RADAR AND SPOKE WITH THE SUPVR. HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TWR LNDG CLRNC AND SAID HE WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES AND GET BACK TO ME. WE SPOKE FACE-TO-FACE A FEW MINS LATER AT THE GATE. HE SAID THE CTLR WAS UNDER TRAINING. SHE ACKNOWLEDGED OUR FIELD IN SIGHT CALL, THEN CLRED 'ACR ZYZ' FOR THE VISUAL FROM A BASE POS IN FRONT OF US. AS SHE ISSUED THE CLRNC TO ZYZ, SHE CLIPPED OFF THE CALL SIGN BY NOT PRESSING THE MIKE SWITCH BEFORE SHE SPOKE. WE RECEIVED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A VISUAL CLRNC AND RADIO CHANGE WHICH WAS ACKNOWLEDGED WITH FULL CALL SIGN AND NOT CHALLENGED. OUR POS ON FINAL AND PACING WAS TYPICAL OF A VISUAL APCH. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF PRECEDING TFC'S POS AND RADAR'S SEQUENCING PLAN UNTIL AFTER LNDG. THE SUPVR BROKE IN ON TWR FREQ TO ISSUE GAR. THE SUPVR CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN ACFT. NO HARM, NO FOUL, JUST MISCOMS ON BOTH SIDES.

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.