Narrative:

This incident occurred during the transition from en route to approach and landing at wittman field, oshkosh, wi, on 7/mon/89. My aircraft was on an IFR flight plan from tol to osh. It is important to note that the incident occurred on the morning of the 4TH day of the experimental aircraft association convention. The traffic density and radio congestion situation should be evaluated in light of that situation. At approximately XX00 local, we were following V510 wbound toward osh, level at 6000', over lake michigan. I was in contact with ZAU after having been handed off from mkg. In the vicinity of the fah VOR, ZAU began issuing radar vector instructions. Initially we were turned to 360 degrees, then to 050 degrees, back over the lake. At approximately the same time I was instructed to descend and maintain 4000'. It was fairly obvious from other radio communication and my assigned direction of flight that the controller was maneuvering me for sequencing inbound for the osh VOR 27 approach. Because of congestion, several times the controller came back and told all aircraft inbound to osh to expect the VOR 27 approach (although in at least one instance he misidented the VOR 9 approach as being in use). After arriving at a location almost directly east of osh and (estimated) 30-35 NM out, the controller turned me back to the west with instructions to, 'fly 280 to intercept the final approach course for the VOR 27 approach.' shortly before or after that course assignment, I was instructed to descend and maintain 3000'. The final approach course for the VOR 27 approach at osh is the 265 degree right inbound to the osh VOR (on field). We did fly 280 degrees and intercepted the 265 degree right, proceeding to fly inbound. Listening to the controller, it seemed that he was clearing aircraft in front of us for the approach at about 10-11 NM from the field. I continued following the 265 degree right and subsequently arrived at the 10 mi mark west/O being cleared for the approach. Radio communication continued west/O a break and I began to be somewhat concerned that I had been forgotten. At about 7-8 mi NM DME I finally was able to break in and contact the center controller,, telling him my location and the fact that I was still inbound. Much to my surprise, he came back and said (paraphrased), 'sir, you're VFR traffic and I can't provide services now.' as rapidly as I could (again radio congestion!) I came back and said I was on an IFR flight plan and had been receiving vectors and altitudes for some time. The controller asked me to identify and standby, which I did. Another couple of mins went by with no further instructions. Finally, as the airport began to come into view at 2-3 mi DME, I contacted the controller again, and told him I was about 2 DME with the field in sight. Immediately the controller came back with 'contact tower now.' center had left me over the approach end of the active runway, 3000' MSL (2300' AGL) in marginal VFR conditions, in an extremely busy environment. Obviously, I could not make a normal landing from that position, but with the help of the tower controller I was able to make a 360 degree turn and land west/O incident. I believe that I was forgotten by the controller(south), or possibly misidented on their radar screen. Traffic and radio congestion were major factors, and if I had the chance to do it again, I would have inquired before arriving at the 10 NM location. I believe that chicago center may need 2 controllers for IFR traffic into osh--one to handle transitions and a separate frequency for aircraft established on the final approach course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR PLAN APCHING OSH DURING BUSY TIME OF EEA CONVENTION WAS LOST BY ZAU ARTCC UNTIL PLT ADVISED THE CENTER HE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN CLRNC TO DESCEND FOR APCH AND LNDG.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE TRANSITION FROM ENRTE TO APCH AND LNDG AT WITTMAN FIELD, OSHKOSH, WI, ON 7/MON/89. MY ACFT WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM TOL TO OSH. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE MORNING OF THE 4TH DAY OF THE EXPERIMENTAL ACFT ASSOCIATION CONVENTION. THE TFC DENSITY AND RADIO CONGESTION SITUATION SHOULD BE EVALUATED IN LIGHT OF THAT SITUATION. AT APPROX XX00 LCL, WE WERE FOLLOWING V510 WBOUND TOWARD OSH, LEVEL AT 6000', OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZAU AFTER HAVING BEEN HANDED OFF FROM MKG. IN THE VICINITY OF THE FAH VOR, ZAU BEGAN ISSUING RADAR VECTOR INSTRUCTIONS. INITIALLY WE WERE TURNED TO 360 DEGS, THEN TO 050 DEGS, BACK OVER THE LAKE. AT APPROX THE SAME TIME I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000'. IT WAS FAIRLY OBVIOUS FROM OTHER RADIO COM AND MY ASSIGNED DIRECTION OF FLT THAT THE CTLR WAS MANEUVERING ME FOR SEQUENCING INBND FOR THE OSH VOR 27 APCH. BECAUSE OF CONGESTION, SEVERAL TIMES THE CTLR CAME BACK AND TOLD ALL ACFT INBND TO OSH TO EXPECT THE VOR 27 APCH (ALTHOUGH IN AT LEAST ONE INSTANCE HE MISIDENTED THE VOR 9 APCH AS BEING IN USE). AFTER ARRIVING AT A LOCATION ALMOST DIRECTLY E OF OSH AND (ESTIMATED) 30-35 NM OUT, THE CTLR TURNED ME BACK TO THE W WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO, 'FLY 280 TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR THE VOR 27 APCH.' SHORTLY BEFORE OR AFTER THAT COURSE ASSIGNMENT, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000'. THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR THE VOR 27 APCH AT OSH IS THE 265 DEG R INBND TO THE OSH VOR (ON FIELD). WE DID FLY 280 DEGS AND INTERCEPTED THE 265 DEG R, PROCEEDING TO FLY INBND. LISTENING TO THE CTLR, IT SEEMED THAT HE WAS CLRING ACFT IN FRONT OF US FOR THE APCH AT ABOUT 10-11 NM FROM THE FIELD. I CONTINUED FOLLOWING THE 265 DEG R AND SUBSEQUENTLY ARRIVED AT THE 10 MI MARK W/O BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH. RADIO COM CONTINUED W/O A BREAK AND I BEGAN TO BE SOMEWHAT CONCERNED THAT I HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN. AT ABOUT 7-8 MI NM DME I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO BREAK IN AND CONTACT THE CENTER CTLR,, TELLING HIM MY LOCATION AND THE FACT THAT I WAS STILL INBND. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, HE CAME BACK AND SAID (PARAPHRASED), 'SIR, YOU'RE VFR TFC AND I CAN'T PROVIDE SVCS NOW.' AS RAPIDLY AS I COULD (AGAIN RADIO CONGESTION!) I CAME BACK AND SAID I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND HAD BEEN RECEIVING VECTORS AND ALTS FOR SOME TIME. THE CTLR ASKED ME TO IDENT AND STANDBY, WHICH I DID. ANOTHER COUPLE OF MINS WENT BY WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. FINALLY, AS THE ARPT BEGAN TO COME INTO VIEW AT 2-3 MI DME, I CONTACTED THE CTLR AGAIN, AND TOLD HIM I WAS ABOUT 2 DME WITH THE FIELD IN SIGHT. IMMEDIATELY THE CTLR CAME BACK WITH 'CONTACT TWR NOW.' CENTER HAD LEFT ME OVER THE APCH END OF THE ACTIVE RWY, 3000' MSL (2300' AGL) IN MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS, IN AN EXTREMELY BUSY ENVIRONMENT. OBVIOUSLY, I COULD NOT MAKE A NORMAL LNDG FROM THAT POS, BUT WITH THE HELP OF THE TWR CTLR I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN AND LAND W/O INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS FORGOTTEN BY THE CTLR(S), OR POSSIBLY MISIDENTED ON THEIR RADAR SCREEN. TFC AND RADIO CONGESTION WERE MAJOR FACTORS, AND IF I HAD THE CHANCE TO DO IT AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE INQUIRED BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE 10 NM LOCATION. I BELIEVE THAT CHICAGO CENTER MAY NEED 2 CTLRS FOR IFR TFC INTO OSH--ONE TO HANDLE TRANSITIONS AND A SEPARATE FREQ FOR ACFT ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE.

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.