Narrative:

I was flying with an instructor from my airport to fly some practice approachs at local airports. Because of controller in charge's between 2500-3000 ft, we were on an IFR clearance. We were handed off to mcguire approach and put on a vector (after we requested the GPS 19 approach at N14). A few mins alter, the controller told us to descend to 2000 ft (we were at 3000 ft at the time). This seemed completely normal as we were setting up for the GPS 19 which has an altitude of 2000 ft at the IAF. We read back the clearance to 2000 ft to the controller, and started the descent. At 2100 ft in the descent, the controller asked us to confirm level at 3000 ft. We said 'negative, you told us to descend to 2000 ft.' the controller said that was incorrect, 'that was for a C130.' however, controller said that we could maintain 2000 ft. Both myself and the instructor swear controller cleared us to 2000 ft. We also never heard another aircraft (the C130?) accept the clearance, and read the clearance back to the controller. We believe that controller may have meant to clear the C130 to 2000 ft, but accidentally used our tail number. Additionally, controller may not have heard our readback, and corrected. Because controller was working the C130 on VHF, that would account for us never hearing the C130. We swear controller said our tail number, but it does make you question yourself!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MOONEY M20C PLT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR ACCEPT A DSCNT CLRNC GIVEN TO THEM BY MCGUIRE APCH CTLR, BUT MEANT FOR A C130 ON UHF 5 MI S OF N14, NJ.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR FROM MY ARPT TO FLY SOME PRACTICE APCHS AT LCL ARPTS. BECAUSE OF CIC'S BTWN 2500-3000 FT, WE WERE ON AN IFR CLRNC. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO MCGUIRE APCH AND PUT ON A VECTOR (AFTER WE REQUESTED THE GPS 19 APCH AT N14). A FEW MINS ALTER, THE CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO 2000 FT (WE WERE AT 3000 FT AT THE TIME). THIS SEEMED COMPLETELY NORMAL AS WE WERE SETTING UP FOR THE GPS 19 WHICH HAS AN ALT OF 2000 FT AT THE IAF. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC TO 2000 FT TO THE CTLR, AND STARTED THE DSCNT. AT 2100 FT IN THE DSCNT, THE CTLR ASKED US TO CONFIRM LEVEL AT 3000 FT. WE SAID 'NEGATIVE, YOU TOLD US TO DSND TO 2000 FT.' THE CTLR SAID THAT WAS INCORRECT, 'THAT WAS FOR A C130.' HOWEVER, CTLR SAID THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT. BOTH MYSELF AND THE INSTRUCTOR SWEAR CTLR CLRED US TO 2000 FT. WE ALSO NEVER HEARD ANOTHER ACFT (THE C130?) ACCEPT THE CLRNC, AND READ THE CLRNC BACK TO THE CTLR. WE BELIEVE THAT CTLR MAY HAVE MEANT TO CLR THE C130 TO 2000 FT, BUT ACCIDENTALLY USED OUR TAIL NUMBER. ADDITIONALLY, CTLR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OUR READBACK, AND CORRECTED. BECAUSE CTLR WAS WORKING THE C130 ON VHF, THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR US NEVER HEARING THE C130. WE SWEAR CTLR SAID OUR TAIL NUMBER, BUT IT DOES MAKE YOU QUESTION YOURSELF!

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.