LJ35 flight crew misinterp cle control instructions 'proceed to' as 'cleared for.'

Attributes
ACN	525536
Time
Date	200109
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bkl.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle.tracon artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	525536
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On arrival into bkl runway 24R, approach control cleared us to proceed directly to the airport for the visual runway 24R and to expect landing clearance with tower. We were 10 mi from the airport at 3000 ft. We turned to intercept final and began to descend. At 2500 ft, approach asked us to check our altitude and cleared us for the visual approach. Prior to this clearance, the phraseology led us to believe we had already been cleared for the visual approach, but we had not previously been cleared for the visual approach. We had interpreted 'proceed direct to the airport for the visual approach' as 'cleared for the visual approach.' this nonstandard phraseology was the reason for our altitude excursion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ35 FLC MISINTERP CLE CTL INSTRUCTIONS 'PROCEED TO' AS 'CLRED FOR.'

Narrative: ON ARR INTO BKL RWY 24R, APCH CTL CLRED US TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT FOR THE VISUAL RWY 24R AND TO EXPECT LNDG CLRNC WITH TWR. WE WERE 10 MI FROM THE ARPT AT 3000 FT. WE TURNED TO INTERCEPT FINAL AND BEGAN TO DSND. AT 2500 FT, APCH ASKED US TO CHK OUR ALT AND CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH. PRIOR TO THIS CLRNC, THE PHRASEOLOGY LED US TO BELIEVE WE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH, BUT WE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. WE HAD INTERPED 'PROCEED DIRECT TO THE ARPT FOR THE VISUAL APCH' AS 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH.' THIS NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY WAS THE REASON FOR OUR ALT EXCURSION.

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.