Narrative:

It was my (first officer) leg for the flight from ord to yyz. As we approached yyz, we were vectored off of the waterloo arrival for runway 23 onto the downwind portion and told to expect the ILS for runway 23. We were cleared from 8000 ft to 6000 ft. About the time the flight control computer annunciated altitude capture, they instructed us to descend to 4000 ft and slow to 190 KTS. I verified 4000 ft with the captain and kept the aircraft descending. 4000 ft made perfect sense as we were at 6000 ft but past the airport on the down wind. The speed made sense also as we were within 10 mi of the airport and if they were going to descend us any lower than 4000 ft, we had to be below 200 KTS in regard to the 3000 ft AGL (10 mi) 200 KT canadian speed rule. Descending through 4700 ft MSL, the controller told us we were only cleared to 5000 ft, and that we should now descend to 4000 ft. Later, we were given a strange clearance by the same approach controller 'fly heading 210 degrees, cleared to intercept the ILS for runway 23, 170 KTS to taxiway xray.' I asked for verification as I didn't know if we were only cleared to intercept the localizer, or if we were cleared for the approach. We were told that it was an approach clearance. Although some of the controller phraseology was confusing to us, the clearance to 4000 ft was very clear to both of us. Supplemental information from acn 573708: on arrival to yyz for runway 23. Passing 6200 ft MSL we were cleared to descend to 4000 ft and slow to 190 KTS. This was set by me (the PNF) and confirmed by the first officer/PF. Passing 4700 ft, approach controller said we were told to maintain 5000 ft but now descend and maintain 4000 ft and slow to 190 KTS. No further comments were made of the incident. Approach had one further confusing incident. On approach, we were cleared to turn to 210 degree heading, intercept ILS and maintain 190 KTS to taxiway xray. I had to query if this was clearance for the approach or to intercept the localizer. It was approach clearance. Nonstandard terminology.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F100 CREW LNDG YYZ ARE GIVEN A CONFUSING CLRNC FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 23.

Narrative: IT WAS MY (FO) LEG FOR THE FLT FROM ORD TO YYZ. AS WE APCHED YYZ, WE WERE VECTORED OFF OF THE WATERLOO ARR FOR RWY 23 ONTO THE DOWNWIND PORTION AND TOLD TO EXPECT THE ILS FOR RWY 23. WE WERE CLRED FROM 8000 FT TO 6000 FT. ABOUT THE TIME THE FLT CTL COMPUTER ANNUNCIATED ALT CAPTURE, THEY INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO 4000 FT AND SLOW TO 190 KTS. I VERIFIED 4000 FT WITH THE CAPT AND KEPT THE ACFT DSNDING. 4000 FT MADE PERFECT SENSE AS WE WERE AT 6000 FT BUT PAST THE ARPT ON THE DOWN WIND. THE SPD MADE SENSE ALSO AS WE WERE WITHIN 10 MI OF THE ARPT AND IF THEY WERE GOING TO DSND US ANY LOWER THAN 4000 FT, WE HAD TO BE BELOW 200 KTS IN REGARD TO THE 3000 FT AGL (10 MI) 200 KT CANADIAN SPD RULE. DSNDING THROUGH 4700 FT MSL, THE CTLR TOLD US WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 5000 FT, AND THAT WE SHOULD NOW DSND TO 4000 FT. LATER, WE WERE GIVEN A STRANGE CLRNC BY THE SAME APCH CTLR 'FLY HDG 210 DEGS, CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FOR RWY 23, 170 KTS TO TXWY XRAY.' I ASKED FOR VERIFICATION AS I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC, OR IF WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS AN APCH CLRNC. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE CTLR PHRASEOLOGY WAS CONFUSING TO US, THE CLRNC TO 4000 FT WAS VERY CLR TO BOTH OF US. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 573708: ON ARR TO YYZ FOR RWY 23. PASSING 6200 FT MSL WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT AND SLOW TO 190 KTS. THIS WAS SET BY ME (THE PNF) AND CONFIRMED BY THE FO/PF. PASSING 4700 FT, APCH CTLR SAID WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT BUT NOW DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT AND SLOW TO 190 KTS. NO FURTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE OF THE INCIDENT. APCH HAD ONE FURTHER CONFUSING INCIDENT. ON APCH, WE WERE CLRED TO TURN TO 210 DEG HDG, INTERCEPT ILS AND MAINTAIN 190 KTS TO TXWY XRAY. I HAD TO QUERY IF THIS WAS CLRNC FOR THE APCH OR TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. IT WAS APCH CLRNC. NONSTANDARD TERMINOLOGY.

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.