A MOONEY M20C PLT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR ACCEPT A DSCNT CLRNC GIVEN TO THEM BY MCGUIRE APCH CTLR; BUT MEANT FOR A C130 ON UHF 5 MI S OF N14; NJ.
Synopsis
A MOONEY M20C PLT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR ACCEPT A DSCNT CLRNC GIVEN TO THEM BY MCGUIRE APCH CTLR; BUT MEANT FOR A C130 ON UHF 5 MI S OF N14; NJ.
Narrative
I WAS FLYING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR FROM MY ARPT TO FLY SOME PRACTICE APCHS AT LCL ARPTS. BECAUSE OF CIC'S BTWN 2500-3000 FT; WE WERE ON AN IFR CLRNC. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO MCGUIRE APCH AND PUT ON A VECTOR (AFTER WE REQUESTED THE GPS 19 APCH AT N14). A FEW MINS ALTER; THE CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO 2000 FT (WE WERE AT 3000 FT AT THE TIME). THIS SEEMED COMPLETELY NORMAL AS WE WERE SETTING UP FOR THE GPS 19 WHICH HAS AN ALT OF 2000 FT AT THE IAF. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC TO 2000 FT TO THE CTLR; AND STARTED THE DSCNT. AT 2100 FT IN THE DSCNT; THE CTLR ASKED US TO CONFIRM LEVEL AT 3000 FT. WE SAID 'NEGATIVE; YOU TOLD US TO DSND TO 2000 FT.' THE CTLR SAID THAT WAS INCORRECT; 'THAT WAS FOR A C130.' HOWEVER; CTLR SAID THAT WE COULD MAINTAIN 2000 FT. BOTH MYSELF AND THE INSTRUCTOR SWEAR CTLR CLRED US TO 2000 FT. WE ALSO NEVER HEARD ANOTHER ACFT (THE C130?) ACCEPT THE CLRNC; AND READ THE CLRNC BACK TO THE CTLR. WE BELIEVE THAT CTLR MAY HAVE MEANT TO CLR THE C130 TO 2000 FT; BUT ACCIDENTALLY USED OUR TAIL NUMBER. ADDITIONALLY; CTLR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OUR READBACK; AND CORRECTED. BECAUSE CTLR WAS WORKING THE C130 ON VHF; THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR US NEVER HEARING THE C130. WE SWEAR CTLR SAID OUR TAIL NUMBER; BUT IT DOES MAKE YOU QUESTION YOURSELF!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.