What is the procedure if ATC gives conflicting instructions?

• A. Do not proceed; clarify with ATC; follow the latest ATC instruction; if necessary, stop and request clarification.
• B. Proceed with the most recent instruction you remember.
• C. Ignore ATC and continue on your plan.
• D. Report the issue after reaching destination.

Answer: (A)

When ATC instructions conflict, you must not act on either instruction until the conflict is resolved. The safe approach is to stop and ask ATC to clarify, confirming your understanding and requesting a single, current clearance. You should not proceed with any action until ATC provides a clear instruction, and once you have that unambiguous directive, you follow it. This means you may need to hold or stop and request clarification if needed. The approach described here matches the best practice: do not proceed; clarify with ATC; follow the latest ATC instruction; if necessary, stop and request clarification. Proceeding based on the most recent memory can be unsafe, ignoring ATC breaches regulations, and waiting until destination to report misses the critical moment to resolve the conflict in flight.