Cross country training flight, thought was cleared for ADF approach enroute and continue.

Attributes
ACN	99409
Time
Date	198812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ctb
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute airway : zlc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 120 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	99409
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A student and I were on an IFR training flight for his long cross country. With 3 legs in the cross country, we had 2 fuel stops and were required to pick up 3 separate clrncs. On our first stop we fueled and picked up our clearance from the FSS which was as follows: cleared direct hvr V430 climb and maintain 2000', contact center on 133.40, 30 mi east of the ctb VOR. We had filed for an approach at an airport between us and our next fuel stop, so the clearance we had received should have tipped me off as to something being wrong. They hadn't cleared us for the approach and wanted us to contact center 30 mi east. My initial reaction was that we would be too low in the area we were in to receive center until we were through with the NDB approach (low approach) and climbing back out to our assigned altitude. We could only climb out at 250 FPM and with a 25 KT tailwind at 5000', we would never had made 7000' in order to contact center and get a clearance to shoot the approach. There was confusion on both parts, on my part as to thinking I was cleared for the approach and on the part of the FSS as to not understanding that we had wanted and had filed for an approach while en route to our second stop. It could have been resolved if we would have been instructed to stay on frequency with the FSS until we had completed that approach, and had gained sufficient altitude in order to contact center. It could also have been cleared up quickly if I would have questioned my clearance before our departure. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: WX conditions were VFR, no clouds and unlimited visibility. No conflict resulted from the ADF approach to shelby. Controller wondered why they had not contacted them as per his clearance and it was then pointed out the misunderstanding. FSS was also partly to blame but he concurred he should have requested clarification when the clearance did not include the ADF approach shelby. Discussed with the controller after the flight and that is the last information on the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING FLT, THOUGHT WAS CLEARED FOR ADF APCH ENROUTE AND CONTINUE.

Narrative: A STUDENT AND I WERE ON AN IFR TRNING FLT FOR HIS LONG CROSS COUNTRY. WITH 3 LEGS IN THE CROSS COUNTRY, WE HAD 2 FUEL STOPS AND WERE REQUIRED TO PICK UP 3 SEPARATE CLRNCS. ON OUR FIRST STOP WE FUELED AND PICKED UP OUR CLRNC FROM THE FSS WHICH WAS AS FOLLOWS: CLRED DIRECT HVR V430 CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000', CONTACT CENTER ON 133.40, 30 MI E OF THE CTB VOR. WE HAD FILED FOR AN APCH AT AN ARPT BTWN US AND OUR NEXT FUEL STOP, SO THE CLRNC WE HAD RECEIVED SHOULD HAVE TIPPED ME OFF AS TO SOMETHING BEING WRONG. THEY HADN'T CLRED US FOR THE APCH AND WANTED US TO CONTACT CENTER 30 MI E. MY INITIAL REACTION WAS THAT WE WOULD BE TOO LOW IN THE AREA WE WERE IN TO RECEIVE CENTER UNTIL WE WERE THROUGH WITH THE NDB APCH (LOW APCH) AND CLBING BACK OUT TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. WE COULD ONLY CLB OUT AT 250 FPM AND WITH A 25 KT TAILWIND AT 5000', WE WOULD NEVER HAD MADE 7000' IN ORDER TO CONTACT CENTER AND GET A CLRNC TO SHOOT THE APCH. THERE WAS CONFUSION ON BOTH PARTS, ON MY PART AS TO THINKING I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND ON THE PART OF THE FSS AS TO NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAD WANTED AND HAD FILED FOR AN APCH WHILE ENRTE TO OUR SECOND STOP. IT COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO STAY ON FREQ WITH THE FSS UNTIL WE HAD COMPLETED THAT APCH, AND HAD GAINED SUFFICIENT ALT IN ORDER TO CONTACT CENTER. IT COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN CLRED UP QUICKLY IF I WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED MY CLRNC BEFORE OUR DEP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: WX CONDITIONS WERE VFR, NO CLOUDS AND UNLIMITED VIS. NO CONFLICT RESULTED FROM THE ADF APCH TO SHELBY. CTLR WONDERED WHY THEY HAD NOT CONTACTED THEM AS PER HIS CLRNC AND IT WAS THEN POINTED OUT THE MISUNDERSTANDING. FSS WAS ALSO PARTLY TO BLAME BUT HE CONCURRED HE SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED CLARIFICATION WHEN THE CLRNC DID NOT INCLUDE THE ADF APCH SHELBY. DISCUSSED WITH THE CTLR AFTER THE FLT AND THAT IS THE LAST INFO ON THE INCIDENT.

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.