B757 flight crew question sct about approach clearance.

Attributes
ACN	511726
Time
Date	200105
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon artcc : zse.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	511726
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Our flight was from pit to lax. We were working with socal approach and were on the civet arrival to runway 25L. Normally on the civet arrival, it is one continuous flow from arrival to approach and approach clrncs are often received prior to arnes. After several vectors and various dscnts off of the civet, we were finally cleared 'direct to arnes, descend via the civet arrival, expect runway 25L.' on the arrival, we crossed fuelr at 8000 ft, then started down for the next altitude (5000 ft) and fix. I asked approach control to make sure we were cleared for the approach. He then just handed us off to the next controller. I checked in, asking if we were indeed cleared for approach. Socal asked our altitude. I said 7000 ft. He replied 'cleared for approach runway 25L.' the first controller was busy, hence all the vectors and may have forgotten us. Results: there were no traffic conflicts. We continued on a course of action which socal should have expected. We stayed in the flow of traffic. The situation amounted to a momentary bit of poor communication. Corrective action: we need to be vigilant to receive or to prompt the controllers for clrncs when we expect to receive them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLC QUESTION SCT ABOUT APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS FROM PIT TO LAX. WE WERE WORKING WITH SOCAL APCH AND WERE ON THE CIVET ARR TO RWY 25L. NORMALLY ON THE CIVET ARR, IT IS ONE CONTINUOUS FLOW FROM ARR TO APCH AND APCH CLRNCS ARE OFTEN RECEIVED PRIOR TO ARNES. AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS AND VARIOUS DSCNTS OFF OF THE CIVET, WE WERE FINALLY CLRED 'DIRECT TO ARNES, DSND VIA THE CIVET ARR, EXPECT RWY 25L.' ON THE ARR, WE CROSSED FUELR AT 8000 FT, THEN STARTED DOWN FOR THE NEXT ALT (5000 FT) AND FIX. I ASKED APCH CTL TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. HE THEN JUST HANDED US OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. I CHKED IN, ASKING IF WE WERE INDEED CLRED FOR APCH. SOCAL ASKED OUR ALT. I SAID 7000 FT. HE REPLIED 'CLRED FOR APCH RWY 25L.' THE FIRST CTLR WAS BUSY, HENCE ALL THE VECTORS AND MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN US. RESULTS: THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS. WE CONTINUED ON A COURSE OF ACTION WHICH SOCAL SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED. WE STAYED IN THE FLOW OF TFC. THE SIT AMOUNTED TO A MOMENTARY BIT OF POOR COM. CORRECTIVE ACTION: WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT TO RECEIVE OR TO PROMPT THE CTLRS FOR CLRNCS WHEN WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE THEM.

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.