B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 169
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Chart Or Publication; Procedure; Human Factors
On approach to OAK; we asked for the RNAV Z 29.  ATC said they would check on the request. They told us then to descend on the PXN 3 Arrival. They then asked if we were doing the BUSHY transition.  BUSHY is on the PXN 3 Arrival prior to SUNOL so we said yes (no mention of any clearance on the RNAV Z 29).  We then switched controllers and they again asked us if we were on the BUSHY transition.  We said yes.  They cleared us for the visual and we responded; 'Are we cleared for the visual RNAV Z 29?' and then they said 'Cleared RNAV Z 29.'   At this point; we were past BUSHY and almost to SUNOL and they said; 'Oh; I thought you were on the BUSHY transition' and we said; 'We were never really cleared the RNAV Z.'  They said 'no problem' and they gave us a short vector for traffic and cleared us for the visual. ATC needed to clarify the Approach instead of assuming.  And; we needed to also clarify and ask when there are misunderstandings.
BUSHY is not a transition and should never have been referred to as such. It is an initial approach fix. The term transition refers to a point on a STAR from which an approach can start and it is published on the STAR. All LAX STARs and approaches are a good points of reference. When clearing an aircraft for an approach say; 'Proceed direct BUSHY. At BUSHY cleared the RNAV Z 29.' Revise the PANOCHE Three Arrival to indicate BUSHY as a transition point! Never issue partial or vague clearances. Never ask an aircraft to fly a transition that is not published on the STAR! Instead; say 'Proceed direct BUSHY. At BUSHY cleared the RNAV Z 29.'
A B737 crew on the OAK PNX 3 Arrival was cleared via the RNAV Z 29 but did not begin the approach at BUSHY because they did not believe that the BUSHY IAF should be termed a transition from the arrival.