Narrative:

While under the control of vc bird approach control at FL230; a clearance was issued and accepted to descend to 6000 ft MSL. ATIS was broadcasting the runway 7; 12 mi DME arc approach. We started our descent at flight idle; but needed to use the airbrakes to increase the rate of descent to over 3000 FPM in anticipation of intercepting the 12 mi arc at 6000 ft MSL for the runway 7; 12 arc mi approach. Vc bird approach issued a new clearance and we accepted it to intercept the 12 DME arc at or below 7000 ft MSL. We leveled off at 6000 ft MSL and once we intercepted the 12 DME arc we descended to the published altitude on the 12 DME arc of 2500 ft to comply with the clearance of at or below 7000 ft. After we intercepted the 12 DME arc and descended to 2500 ft; vc bird approach asked what was our altitude and we replied '2500 ft.' vc bird replied 'you were cleared at or below 7000 ft to maintain 6000 ft.' we immediately started climbing to 6000 ft and passing through 4400 ft; approach control cleared us to maintain 4000 ft and we descended to 4000 ft. We both understood the approach control clearance (communicated to each other) as to intercept the 12 DME arc at or below 7000 ft; which supersedes the previous clearance of 6000 ft. I chose to level at 6000 ft until incepting the 12 DME arc. Upon intercepting the 12 DME arc the PNF reset the altitude alerter to 2500 ft without me requesting it done. I hesitated for a moment; and then said ok. I was concentrating on navigating on the arc and with this hesitation at that moment; I should have requested a confirmation of our altitude but didn't; and descended to the published altitude of 2500 ft. We missed another opportunity to communicate our indentations to ATC in a non radar environment before we descended. ATC thought he just cleared us to 6000 ft after the second clearance of at or below 7000 ft and what we both confirmed to each other and responded back to ATC was at or below 7000 ft for the arc interception.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF FA20 ANTICIPATE APCH CLRNC FOR 12 DME ARC APCH TO TAPA. BEGIN DSCNT TO ARC MEA WITHOUT CLRNC UPON CAPTURING THE ARC.

Narrative: WHILE UNDER THE CTL OF VC BIRD APCH CTL AT FL230; A CLRNC WAS ISSUED AND ACCEPTED TO DSND TO 6000 FT MSL. ATIS WAS BROADCASTING THE RWY 7; 12 MI DME ARC APCH. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT AT FLT IDLE; BUT NEEDED TO USE THE AIRBRAKES TO INCREASE THE RATE OF DSCNT TO OVER 3000 FPM IN ANTICIPATION OF INTERCEPTING THE 12 MI ARC AT 6000 FT MSL FOR THE RWY 7; 12 ARC MI APCH. VC BIRD APCH ISSUED A NEW CLRNC AND WE ACCEPTED IT TO INTERCEPT THE 12 DME ARC AT OR BELOW 7000 FT MSL. WE LEVELED OFF AT 6000 FT MSL AND ONCE WE INTERCEPTED THE 12 DME ARC WE DSNDED TO THE PUBLISHED ALT ON THE 12 DME ARC OF 2500 FT TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC OF AT OR BELOW 7000 FT. AFTER WE INTERCEPTED THE 12 DME ARC AND DSNDED TO 2500 FT; VC BIRD APCH ASKED WHAT WAS OUR ALT AND WE REPLIED '2500 FT.' VC BIRD REPLIED 'YOU WERE CLRED AT OR BELOW 7000 FT TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT.' WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED CLBING TO 6000 FT AND PASSING THROUGH 4400 FT; APCH CTL CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT AND WE DSNDED TO 4000 FT. WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD THE APCH CTL CLRNC (COMMUNICATED TO EACH OTHER) AS TO INTERCEPT THE 12 DME ARC AT OR BELOW 7000 FT; WHICH SUPERSEDES THE PREVIOUS CLRNC OF 6000 FT. I CHOSE TO LEVEL AT 6000 FT UNTIL INCEPTING THE 12 DME ARC. UPON INTERCEPTING THE 12 DME ARC THE PNF RESET THE ALT ALERTER TO 2500 FT WITHOUT ME REQUESTING IT DONE. I HESITATED FOR A MOMENT; AND THEN SAID OK. I WAS CONCENTRATING ON NAVING ON THE ARC AND WITH THIS HESITATION AT THAT MOMENT; I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A CONFIRMATION OF OUR ALT BUT DIDN'T; AND DSNDED TO THE PUBLISHED ALT OF 2500 FT. WE MISSED ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE OUR INDENTATIONS TO ATC IN A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT BEFORE WE DSNDED. ATC THOUGHT HE JUST CLRED US TO 6000 FT AFTER THE SECOND CLRNC OF AT OR BELOW 7000 FT AND WHAT WE BOTH CONFIRMED TO EACH OTHER AND RESPONDED BACK TO ATC WAS AT OR BELOW 7000 FT FOR THE ARC INTERCEPTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.