Narrative:

En route to the gjt airport, we were flying direct to the jnc VOR expecting to be handed off to approach control in the next few moments. We had thoroughly briefed the approach (ILS DME runway 11) in use, and were expecting a clearance either to fly the entire approach as published, or to receive vectors to final once talking to approach control. Contrary to our expectations, ZDV issued the following clearance: 'air carrier xx, after the grand junction VOR, track outbound on the 341 degree radial direct lomma, maintain 10000 ft, cleared ILS DME 11 approach.' still expecting radar vectors, we tracked out on the 341 degree radial and switched to tower frequency as directed. Once it became clear to us that vectors to the approach were not forthcoming, we requested clearance back to the jnc VOR in order to fly the full approach as published. It was not possible for us to safely or legally establish ourselves on the approach as cleared by ZDV. Once we stated our request to the control tower, we were directed to contact approach control for vectors to the approach. Once in contact with approach control, we were vectored to, and cleared for, the approach. The approach and landing were normal and uneventful thereafter. We had been on duty all night long, and fatigue was a definite factor in our acceptance of the original approach clearance. Given the WX and mountainous terrain, this had great potential for an accident. In the future, I will not allow my expectations for vectors to an approach to prompt me to accept an unusual approach clearance. I will challenge any clearance that doesn't make sense until it either does make sense, or a different, more conventional clearance is received. My fatigue affected my judgement in this event, and combined with my expectations. I accepted a questionable clearance without further amplification.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INBOUND TO GJT, FLT CREW OF B727 ACCEPT IMPROPER APCH CLRNC FROM ZDV.

Narrative: ENRTE TO THE GJT ARPT, WE WERE FLYING DIRECT TO THE JNC VOR EXPECTING TO BE HANDED OFF TO APCH CTL IN THE NEXT FEW MOMENTS. WE HAD THOROUGHLY BRIEFED THE APCH (ILS DME RWY 11) IN USE, AND WERE EXPECTING A CLRNC EITHER TO FLY THE ENTIRE APCH AS PUBLISHED, OR TO RECEIVE VECTORS TO FINAL ONCE TALKING TO APCH CTL. CONTRARY TO OUR EXPECTATIONS, ZDV ISSUED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC: 'ACR XX, AFTER THE GRAND JUNCTION VOR, TRACK OUTBOUND ON THE 341 DEG RADIAL DIRECT LOMMA, MAINTAIN 10000 FT, CLRED ILS DME 11 APCH.' STILL EXPECTING RADAR VECTORS, WE TRACKED OUT ON THE 341 DEG RADIAL AND SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AS DIRECTED. ONCE IT BECAME CLR TO US THAT VECTORS TO THE APCH WERE NOT FORTHCOMING, WE REQUESTED CLRNC BACK TO THE JNC VOR IN ORDER TO FLY THE FULL APCH AS PUBLISHED. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO SAFELY OR LEGALLY ESTABLISH OURSELVES ON THE APCH AS CLRED BY ZDV. ONCE WE STATED OUR REQUEST TO THE CTL TWR, WE WERE DIRECTED TO CONTACT APCH CTL FOR VECTORS TO THE APCH. ONCE IN CONTACT WITH APCH CTL, WE WERE VECTORED TO, AND CLRED FOR, THE APCH. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL THEREAFTER. WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY ALL NIGHT LONG, AND FATIGUE WAS A DEFINITE FACTOR IN OUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE ORIGINAL APCH CLRNC. GIVEN THE WX AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THIS HAD GREAT POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT ALLOW MY EXPECTATIONS FOR VECTORS TO AN APCH TO PROMPT ME TO ACCEPT AN UNUSUAL APCH CLRNC. I WILL CHALLENGE ANY CLRNC THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE UNTIL IT EITHER DOES MAKE SENSE, OR A DIFFERENT, MORE CONVENTIONAL CLRNC IS RECEIVED. MY FATIGUE AFFECTED MY JUDGEMENT IN THIS EVENT, AND COMBINED WITH MY EXPECTATIONS. I ACCEPTED A QUESTIONABLE CLRNC WITHOUT FURTHER AMPLIFICATION.

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.