Narrative:

ATC (new york approach) vectored us toward diacs intersection (maspeth gas tanks). We were asked to report 'the tanks' late due to the controller trying to coordinate with a non english speaking pilot (he spoke it but it was heavily accented). We reported the tanks and were cleared for the 'expressway visual to runway 31.' we crossed the tanks at 2500 ft MSL and proceeded on approximately a 085 degree heading (following the long island expressway) and descended to 1200 ft. At the point we started the turn to final, we had not yet been handed off to lga tower. I had the first officer initiate the call up as we turned final. The approach controller was still in the midst of discussions with the non english speaker in and amongst the other normal traffic. When we called the tower, rather than being cleared to land, we got 'hey air carrier X, you know this is a controled airport, right? You know you call me and you get your landing clearance, right?' finally at about 300 ft AGL, he cleared us to land. I called the tower supervisor after we parked and expressed my displeasure at the treatment we received. Both the first officer and I were quite upset by the altitude, especially on short final and low altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW ON EXPRESSWAY VISUAL INTO LGA WERE CHANGED OVER LATE ON SHORT FINAL TO AN UNINFORMED TWR CTLR.

Narrative: ATC (NEW YORK APCH) VECTORED US TOWARD DIACS INTXN (MASPETH GAS TANKS). WE WERE ASKED TO RPT 'THE TANKS' LATE DUE TO THE CTLR TRYING TO COORDINATE WITH A NON ENGLISH SPEAKING PLT (HE SPOKE IT BUT IT WAS HEAVILY ACCENTED). WE RPTED THE TANKS AND WERE CLRED FOR THE 'EXPRESSWAY VISUAL TO RWY 31.' WE CROSSED THE TANKS AT 2500 FT MSL AND PROCEEDED ON APPROX A 085 DEG HDG (FOLLOWING THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY) AND DSNDED TO 1200 FT. AT THE POINT WE STARTED THE TURN TO FINAL, WE HAD NOT YET BEEN HANDED OFF TO LGA TWR. I HAD THE FO INITIATE THE CALL UP AS WE TURNED FINAL. THE APCH CTLR WAS STILL IN THE MIDST OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE NON ENGLISH SPEAKER IN AND AMONGST THE OTHER NORMAL TFC. WHEN WE CALLED THE TWR, RATHER THAN BEING CLRED TO LAND, WE GOT 'HEY ACR X, YOU KNOW THIS IS A CTLED ARPT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW YOU CALL ME AND YOU GET YOUR LNDG CLRNC, RIGHT?' FINALLY AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL, HE CLRED US TO LAND. I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AFTER WE PARKED AND EXPRESSED MY DISPLEASURE AT THE TREATMENT WE RECEIVED. BOTH THE FO AND I WERE QUITE UPSET BY THE ALT, ESPECIALLY ON SHORT FINAL AND LOW ALT.

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.