Narrative:

When about 32 NM southwest of acy, my destination, on IFR flight plan and clearance direct acy at assigned altitude of 9000', I requested lower altitude. Controller responded with 'roger maintain 8000,' and I acknowledged 'small aircraft maintain 8000' and started my descent to 8000'. Short time later as I approached 8000' the controller asked me why I was at 8000'. I told him he cleared me to 8000' and he responded that he did not. He then told me to maintain 8000' and contact acy approach control. Subsequently I was cleared for visual approach, runway 31, and switched to acy tower. As I was descending on northeasterly heading approaching runway 4 extended centerline the controller requested close in approach and land short. At this time I observed aircraft taking off on runway 13 (the wind was northerly at 6 KTS) and I assumed this clearance to expect landing on runway 4. As I turned left towards runway 4 controller advised that I appeared to be lined up for runway 4. I then realized that he still wanted me to land on runway 31 and I turned back and continued my left downwind for runway 31 and landed on runway 31. Recommended actions: to improve pilot/controller communications the controller should use standard phraseology, ie, 'descend and maintain 8000,' and pilot should repeat: 'leaving 9000 for 8000.' the controller should listen to readback to insure correct compliance with his clearance. During light wind conditions when multiple and opp runways are used, the local controller should issue traffic in opp direction to the aircraft cleared for approach on the same runway (ie, runways 13 and 31) and always repeat the runway to use when amending clearance such as 'make close in approach and land short' to prevent possible confusion, particularly when opp end of runways are used.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION BY CORP SMA FOLLOWED BY START OF APCH TO WRONG RWY.

Narrative: WHEN ABOUT 32 NM SW OF ACY, MY DEST, ON IFR FLT PLAN AND CLRNC DIRECT ACY AT ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000', I REQUESTED LOWER ALT. CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'ROGER MAINTAIN 8000,' AND I ACKNOWLEDGED 'SMA MAINTAIN 8000' AND STARTED MY DSCNT TO 8000'. SHORT TIME LATER AS I APCHED 8000' THE CTLR ASKED ME WHY I WAS AT 8000'. I TOLD HIM HE CLRED ME TO 8000' AND HE RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT. HE THEN TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN 8000' AND CONTACT ACY APCH CTL. SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH, RWY 31, AND SWITCHED TO ACY TWR. AS I WAS DSNDING ON NORTHEASTERLY HDG APCHING RWY 4 EXTENDED CENTERLINE THE CTLR REQUESTED CLOSE IN APCH AND LAND SHORT. AT THIS TIME I OBSERVED ACFT TAKING OFF ON RWY 13 (THE WIND WAS NORTHERLY AT 6 KTS) AND I ASSUMED THIS CLRNC TO EXPECT LNDG ON RWY 4. AS I TURNED LEFT TOWARDS RWY 4 CTLR ADVISED THAT I APPEARED TO BE LINED UP FOR RWY 4. I THEN REALIZED THAT HE STILL WANTED ME TO LAND ON RWY 31 AND I TURNED BACK AND CONTINUED MY LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31 AND LANDED ON RWY 31. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: TO IMPROVE PLT/CTLR COMS THE CTLR SHOULD USE STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY, IE, 'DSND AND MAINTAIN 8000,' AND PLT SHOULD REPEAT: 'LEAVING 9000 FOR 8000.' THE CTLR SHOULD LISTEN TO READBACK TO INSURE CORRECT COMPLIANCE WITH HIS CLRNC. DURING LIGHT WIND CONDITIONS WHEN MULTIPLE AND OPP RWYS ARE USED, THE LCL CTLR SHOULD ISSUE TFC IN OPP DIRECTION TO THE ACFT CLRED FOR APCH ON THE SAME RWY (IE, RWYS 13 AND 31) AND ALWAYS REPEAT THE RWY TO USE WHEN AMENDING CLRNC SUCH AS 'MAKE CLOSE IN APCH AND LAND SHORT' TO PREVENT POSSIBLE CONFUSION, PARTICULARLY WHEN OPP END OF RWYS ARE USED.

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