Narrative:

En route; briefed and prepared for ILS approach to runway 13R. Upon contact with approach control cleared direct to morry for the ILS 13R approach. Switch to new controller who cleared us to descend to 7000 ft. At 7000 ft; the following clearance was given: 'cross morry at 4000 ft; cleared for approach; do not descend below class B airspace....' at that point while in haze and low visibility conditions with a yaw damper out; we now have to determine where this airspace is. We pull out the airspace page. The next call from this controller is that we have descended below class B airspace. The next call is for air carrier Y who are behind us. They have also descended below class B airspace after being the same nonstandard clearance. I truly believe as I did when first given this clearance which I have never heard in over 35 yrs of flying that this particular controller was setting us up. All of this conspired in probably less than 3 mins. If there is a problem with the airspace to the northwest then let's redesign the approach with stepdown altitudes. When this controller was queried by my captain as to whether there was a problem; his response was a 'yes; you violated a clearance.' when further queried as to whether there was a conflict; he failed to respond. I disagree the clearance in my mind was nonstandard. Our navaids are set to the localizer. The concentric rings for class B airspace are predicated off the maverick VOR. I would ask that ATC quality assurance look into the airspace issue; ie; is there a problem with the airspace to the northwest and the issue with class B airspace? In addition; I would ask that ATC pro standards look into the controller's actions. I believe he purposely descended us at certain points to make some sort of point. If we as pilots are making mistakes out there in regard to class B airspace; the way to fix it is to bring it to the attention of our pilot group through the reporting program and our ATC liaisons. There is not a group of professionals I have more respect for than our controllers. However; yesterday I believe this particular controller was off his game. Having pilots pull out charts during low visibility conditions during an approach is a distraction and probably not the safest thing to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DFW ARR DESCRIBED UNUSUAL ATC CLRNC FROM DFW APCH CTLR THAT INCLUDED REMAIN WITH CLASS B AIRSPACE VERBIAGE.

Narrative: ENRTE; BRIEFED AND PREPARED FOR ILS APCH TO RWY 13R. UPON CONTACT WITH APCH CTL CLRED DIRECT TO MORRY FOR THE ILS 13R APCH. SWITCH TO NEW CTLR WHO CLRED US TO DSND TO 7000 FT. AT 7000 FT; THE FOLLOWING CLRNC WAS GIVEN: 'CROSS MORRY AT 4000 FT; CLRED FOR APCH; DO NOT DSND BELOW CLASS B AIRSPACE....' AT THAT POINT WHILE IN HAZE AND LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS WITH A YAW DAMPER OUT; WE NOW HAVE TO DETERMINE WHERE THIS AIRSPACE IS. WE PULL OUT THE AIRSPACE PAGE. THE NEXT CALL FROM THIS CTLR IS THAT WE HAVE DESCENDED BELOW CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE NEXT CALL IS FOR ACR Y WHO ARE BEHIND US. THEY HAVE ALSO DSNDED BELOW CLASS B AIRSPACE AFTER BEING THE SAME NONSTANDARD CLRNC. I TRULY BELIEVE AS I DID WHEN FIRST GIVEN THIS CLRNC WHICH I HAVE NEVER HEARD IN OVER 35 YRS OF FLYING THAT THIS PARTICULAR CTLR WAS SETTING US UP. ALL OF THIS CONSPIRED IN PROBABLY LESS THAN 3 MINS. IF THERE IS A PROB WITH THE AIRSPACE TO THE NW THEN LET'S REDESIGN THE APCH WITH STEPDOWN ALTS. WHEN THIS CTLR WAS QUERIED BY MY CAPT AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS A PROB; HIS RESPONSE WAS A 'YES; YOU VIOLATED A CLRNC.' WHEN FURTHER QUERIED AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS A CONFLICT; HE FAILED TO RESPOND. I DISAGREE THE CLRNC IN MY MIND WAS NONSTANDARD. OUR NAVAIDS ARE SET TO THE LOC. THE CONCENTRIC RINGS FOR CLASS B AIRSPACE ARE PREDICATED OFF THE MAVERICK VOR. I WOULD ASK THAT ATC QUALITY ASSURANCE LOOK INTO THE AIRSPACE ISSUE; IE; IS THERE A PROB WITH THE AIRSPACE TO THE NW AND THE ISSUE WITH CLASS B AIRSPACE? IN ADDITION; I WOULD ASK THAT ATC PRO STANDARDS LOOK INTO THE CTLR'S ACTIONS. I BELIEVE HE PURPOSELY DSNDED US AT CERTAIN POINTS TO MAKE SOME SORT OF POINT. IF WE AS PLTS ARE MAKING MISTAKES OUT THERE IN REGARD TO CLASS B AIRSPACE; THE WAY TO FIX IT IS TO BRING IT TO THE ATTN OF OUR PLT GROUP THROUGH THE REPORTING PROGRAM AND OUR ATC LIAISONS. THERE IS NOT A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS I HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR THAN OUR CTLRS. HOWEVER; YESTERDAY I BELIEVE THIS PARTICULAR CTLR WAS OFF HIS GAME. HAVING PLTS PULL OUT CHARTS DURING LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS DURING AN APCH IS A DISTR AND PROBABLY NOT THE SAFEST THING TO DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.