Clearance confusion regarding the lynsy RNAV 2 and the mirok 1 arrival to las, nv.

Attributes
ACN	572901
Time
Date	200301
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : lynsy
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Clearance on flight plan and on pre departure clearance showed stl -- pgs.MIROK1.las. After arriving pgs, we were vectored and slowed to meter behind traffic. We eventually were cleared direct to lynsy. As we knew the mirok 1 to be our arrival (vectors after mirok and to land on runway 25L), we then flew the route to mirok intersection. Once at mirok, we asked approach what heading they wanted us to fly. At this point, the controller abruptly queried if we were on the arrival. We said yes. He, we later found out, meant the lynsy RNAV 2 arrival. As per the mirok 1 STAR, we were at 12000 ft and 250 KTS at lynsy, and thus, the same at mirok. The controller then gave us some easterly heading and cleared us to 11000 ft then 8000 ft. As all of this miscom was unfolding, I wanted to insure the altitudes and heading given was safe, reference the terrain. We were assured it was. Eventually, we understood from the controller that we were to have been on the lynsy RNAV 2 arrival, presumably after lynsy intersection. The first officer began to look for that arrival approach plate, while I flew and insured the altitudes were safe. We don't believe that the controller originally gave us the RNAV arrival or if he did, we did not read it back, and he didn't clarify or query us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC CONFUSION REGARDING THE LYNSY RNAV 2 AND THE MIROK 1 ARR TO LAS, NV.

Narrative: CLRNC ON FLT PLAN AND ON PDC SHOWED STL -- PGS.MIROK1.LAS. AFTER ARRIVING PGS, WE WERE VECTORED AND SLOWED TO METER BEHIND TFC. WE EVENTUALLY WERE CLRED DIRECT TO LYNSY. AS WE KNEW THE MIROK 1 TO BE OUR ARR (VECTORS AFTER MIROK AND TO LAND ON RWY 25L), WE THEN FLEW THE RTE TO MIROK INTXN. ONCE AT MIROK, WE ASKED APCH WHAT HDG THEY WANTED US TO FLY. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR ABRUPTLY QUERIED IF WE WERE ON THE ARR. WE SAID YES. HE, WE LATER FOUND OUT, MEANT THE LYNSY RNAV 2 ARR. AS PER THE MIROK 1 STAR, WE WERE AT 12000 FT AND 250 KTS AT LYNSY, AND THUS, THE SAME AT MIROK. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US SOME EASTERLY HDG AND CLRED US TO 11000 FT THEN 8000 FT. AS ALL OF THIS MISCOM WAS UNFOLDING, I WANTED TO INSURE THE ALTS AND HDG GIVEN WAS SAFE, REF THE TERRAIN. WE WERE ASSURED IT WAS. EVENTUALLY, WE UNDERSTOOD FROM THE CTLR THAT WE WERE TO HAVE BEEN ON THE LYNSY RNAV 2 ARR, PRESUMABLY AFTER LYNSY INTXN. THE FO BEGAN TO LOOK FOR THAT ARR APCH PLATE, WHILE I FLEW AND INSURED THE ALTS WERE SAFE. WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR ORIGINALLY GAVE US THE RNAV ARR OR IF HE DID, WE DID NOT READ IT BACK, AND HE DIDN'T CLARIFY OR QUERY US.

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.