Narrative:

Approximately 30 mi north of statesville on V37, I was told to expect a visibility approach. A few mins later I was cleared to descend from 8000 to 5000', and then to 3400', expect vectors for a visibility approach. Upon reaching 3400', I advised center that I was still solid IFR at 3400'. He then advised me to expect vectors for the NDB 20 approach, climb and maintain 3600'. At this time I was northeast of the statesville NDB, with a needle deflection of about 30 degrees left. There was some discussion between myself and the controller about a VOR/DME 10 approach, then I accepted the NDB to expedite the approach. I was issued a heading of 230 degree vectors for the NDB 20 approach at statesville. A few mins later the controller issued this clearance, to the best of my memory: 'identify 4 mi from svh--statesville turn left 210 degrees, cross the NDB at or above 3600, cleared for the approach.' the approach final heading is 199 degrees. When I had approximately 10 degrees deflection to the left, I turned to 199 degrees and centered the needle. When I crossed the NDB which is also the final approach fix, I started my descent into the airport. About halfway from the fix to the airport the controller called me and said it was his understanding that I was going to do an NDB approach, 'what are you doing?' I told him that I did the approach as cleared and would like to cancel IFR, as I was out of the clouds and had the airport in sight. He said that the last time he looked, there was a procedure turn involved with that approach. I said I thought he vectored me to final, which up until now, I thought eliminated the need for a procedure turn. He said, 'I understand you're cancelling IFR.' I said, 'that's correct.' he said, 'squawk 1200, frequency change approved.' after I returned home and was able to talk to several pilots with wide ranges of experience, I was unable to determine whether or not I may have possibly violated an far. After talking to some 10 pilots, one a 30000 hour airline captain, and a friend who talked to a controller friend of his, they all said that under the same circumstances,they all would have flown the approach in the same manner as I did. All of them, as I was, were under the impression that radar vectors eliminate the need for a procedure turn. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states in discussion with controller re: VOR DME approach, controller sated, 'you are practically on the final approach for NDB approach, so I can vector you right to final.' since reporter is an instrument instrument, he interpreted this in terms of aim 371(a). Since an aircraft had made this same approach ahead of reporter aircraft with no procedure turn, this seemed appropriate to reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT VECTORED TO NDB FINAL APCH COURSE, CLEARED FOR APCH. CONTINUED INBOUND WITH NO PROC TURN.

Narrative: APPROX 30 MI N OF STATESVILLE ON V37, I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT A VIS APCH. A FEW MINS LATER I WAS CLRED TO DSND FROM 8000 TO 5000', AND THEN TO 3400', EXPECT VECTORS FOR A VIS APCH. UPON REACHING 3400', I ADVISED CENTER THAT I WAS STILL SOLID IFR AT 3400'. HE THEN ADVISED ME TO EXPECT VECTORS FOR THE NDB 20 APCH, CLB AND MAINTAIN 3600'. AT THIS TIME I WAS NE OF THE STATESVILLE NDB, WITH A NEEDLE DEFLECTION OF ABOUT 30 DEGS LEFT. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION BTWN MYSELF AND THE CTLR ABOUT A VOR/DME 10 APCH, THEN I ACCEPTED THE NDB TO EXPEDITE THE APCH. I WAS ISSUED A HDG OF 230 DEG VECTORS FOR THE NDB 20 APCH AT STATESVILLE. A FEW MINS LATER THE CTLR ISSUED THIS CLRNC, TO THE BEST OF MY MEMORY: 'IDENT 4 MI FROM SVH--STATESVILLE TURN LEFT 210 DEGS, CROSS THE NDB AT OR ABOVE 3600, CLRED FOR THE APCH.' THE APCH FINAL HDG IS 199 DEGS. WHEN I HAD APPROX 10 DEGS DEFLECTION TO THE LEFT, I TURNED TO 199 DEGS AND CENTERED THE NEEDLE. WHEN I CROSSED THE NDB WHICH IS ALSO THE FINAL APCH FIX, I STARTED MY DSCNT INTO THE ARPT. ABOUT HALFWAY FROM THE FIX TO THE ARPT THE CTLR CALLED ME AND SAID IT WAS HIS UNDERSTANDING THAT I WAS GOING TO DO AN NDB APCH, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' I TOLD HIM THAT I DID THE APCH AS CLRED AND WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL IFR, AS I WAS OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. HE SAID THAT THE LAST TIME HE LOOKED, THERE WAS A PROC TURN INVOLVED WITH THAT APCH. I SAID I THOUGHT HE VECTORED ME TO FINAL, WHICH UP UNTIL NOW, I THOUGHT ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR A PROC TURN. HE SAID, 'I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE CANCELLING IFR.' I SAID, 'THAT'S CORRECT.' HE SAID, 'SQUAWK 1200, FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' AFTER I RETURNED HOME AND WAS ABLE TO TALK TO SEVERAL PLTS WITH WIDE RANGES OF EXPERIENCE, I WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT I MAY HAVE POSSIBLY VIOLATED AN FAR. AFTER TALKING TO SOME 10 PLTS, ONE A 30000 HR AIRLINE CAPT, AND A FRIEND WHO TALKED TO A CTLR FRIEND OF HIS, THEY ALL SAID THAT UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES,THEY ALL WOULD HAVE FLOWN THE APCH IN THE SAME MANNER AS I DID. ALL OF THEM, AS I WAS, WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT RADAR VECTORS ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR A PROC TURN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES IN DISCUSSION WITH CTLR RE: VOR DME APCH, CTLR SATED, 'YOU ARE PRACTICALLY ON THE FINAL APCH FOR NDB APCH, SO I CAN VECTOR YOU RIGHT TO FINAL.' SINCE RPTR IS AN INSTRUMENT INSTR, HE INTERPRETED THIS IN TERMS OF AIM 371(A). SINCE AN ACFT HAD MADE THIS SAME APCH AHEAD OF RPTR ACFT WITH NO PROC TURN, THIS SEEMED APPROPRIATE TO RPTR.

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.