FA10 crew did not receive approach clearance at teb. N90 controller claims clearance was issued.

Attributes
ACN	490230
Time
Date	200010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 10C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 6
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	490230
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : n90.tracon staffing : n90.tracon

Narrative:

We were inbound to teterboro airport on an IFR flight plan and being vectored for intercept for the ILS to runway 6 at teb by new york approach control. We had intercepted the localizer and were descending to an assigned altitude of 2000 ft. While passing through 2500 ft, new york approach told us to stop at 2500 ft, which we did at approximately 15 mi out of teb. The controller was very busy. At approximately 10 mi out, we had not yet received clearance for the ILS to runway 6, so I asked new york approach for clearance. The controller replied that I had been cleared for the ILS to runway 6 and that I had busted the clearance. I replied by telling the controller that he had not cleared us for the ILS to runway 6. He did not reply. We completed the ILS runway 6 at teb. I called the tower supervisor and quickly explained what had happened upon landing. He listened briefly and said he would talk to new york approach and that I had nothing to worry about. If new york approach did issue approach clearance, we did not hear it and never acknowledged it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA10 CREW DID NOT RECEIVE APCH CLRNC AT TEB. N90 CTLR CLAIMS CLRNC WAS ISSUED.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND TO TETERBORO ARPT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND BEING VECTORED FOR INTERCEPT FOR THE ILS TO RWY 6 AT TEB BY NEW YORK APCH CTL. WE HAD INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND WERE DSNDING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 2000 FT. WHILE PASSING THROUGH 2500 FT, NEW YORK APCH TOLD US TO STOP AT 2500 FT, WHICH WE DID AT APPROX 15 MI OUT OF TEB. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY. AT APPROX 10 MI OUT, WE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED CLRNC FOR THE ILS TO RWY 6, SO I ASKED NEW YORK APCH FOR CLRNC. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE ILS TO RWY 6 AND THAT I HAD BUSTED THE CLRNC. I REPLIED BY TELLING THE CTLR THAT HE HAD NOT CLRED US FOR THE ILS TO RWY 6. HE DID NOT REPLY. WE COMPLETED THE ILS RWY 6 AT TEB. I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AND QUICKLY EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED UPON LNDG. HE LISTENED BRIEFLY AND SAID HE WOULD TALK TO NEW YORK APCH AND THAT I HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. IF NEW YORK APCH DID ISSUE APCH CLRNC, WE DID NOT HEAR IT AND NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED IT.

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.