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GA small aircraft made IAP VOR approach after being cleared for a visual approach. Aircraft in broken clouds had reported airport in sight when visual approach clearance received.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 125185 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sgj |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : jax |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 434 flight time type : 72 |
| ASRS Report | 125185 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
This was a trip from sanford, fl to st augustine, fl. I had filed IFR because orlando FSS had said to expect low cloud bases in the st augustine area. The entire trip was through broken cumulus clouds with bases less than 2000' and tops to about 5000'. Shortly after handoff to jacksonville approach ATC told me to expect a visual approach to st augustine. He went on to give me the conditions at craig and instructed me to report airport in sight. At about 10 mi I could see st augustine in sight. ATC cleared me direct to the airport and said he'd have lower or clearance for a visual approach in about 3 mi. At about 7 mi out ATC cleared me for visual approach and said to advise cancellation this frequency or advise down time as soon as possible after landing. The cloud bases were about 1500' so I thought 'I'm still IFR why don't I go ahead and shoot the VOR approach.' I decided this would be a good opportunity to practice since I could see the field but was still IFR. 'I've been cleared for a visual approach to any runway at this uncontrolled field so ATC doesn't really care how I get down'. I don't need to worry about airport traffic up here since I'm well above pattern altitude, and IFR. I flew over the VOR, called ATC to report that I was established. He seemed surprised and asked if I was executing the VOR approach. I said 'affirmative' and he replied ok. Descending into VFR conditions so I requested frequency change to CTAF which ATC immediately approved. I did see another aircraft which had departed 31 who was in a left turn slightly higher, a mile or so ahead and to the right. After landing I reported my down time then got thinking. I just did several really stupid things. I did an instrument approach without ATC clearance. I got way too close to an uncontrolled airport without monitoring the CTAF and announcing my intentions. I should have circled to land on the favored runway.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMA MADE IAP VOR APCH AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR A VISUAL APCH. ACFT IN BROKEN CLOUDS HAD REPORTED ARPT IN SIGHT WHEN VISUAL APCH CLRNC RECEIVED.
Narrative: THIS WAS A TRIP FROM SANFORD, FL TO ST AUGUSTINE, FL. I HAD FILED IFR BECAUSE ORLANDO FSS HAD SAID TO EXPECT LOW CLOUD BASES IN THE ST AUGUSTINE AREA. THE ENTIRE TRIP WAS THROUGH BROKEN CUMULUS CLOUDS WITH BASES LESS THAN 2000' AND TOPS TO ABOUT 5000'. SHORTLY AFTER HANDOFF TO JACKSONVILLE APCH ATC TOLD ME TO EXPECT A VISUAL APCH TO ST AUGUSTINE. HE WENT ON TO GIVE ME THE CONDITIONS AT CRAIG AND INSTRUCTED ME TO REPORT ARPT IN SIGHT. AT ABOUT 10 MI I COULD SEE ST AUGUSTINE IN SIGHT. ATC CLRED ME DIRECT TO THE ARPT AND SAID HE'D HAVE LOWER OR CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH IN ABOUT 3 MI. AT ABOUT 7 MI OUT ATC CLRED ME FOR VISUAL APCH AND SAID TO ADVISE CANCELLATION THIS FREQ OR ADVISE DOWN TIME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER LNDG. THE CLOUD BASES WERE ABOUT 1500' SO I THOUGHT 'I'M STILL IFR WHY DON'T I GO AHEAD AND SHOOT THE VOR APCH.' I DECIDED THIS WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE SINCE I COULD SEE THE FIELD BUT WAS STILL IFR. 'I'VE BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO ANY RWY AT THIS UNCONTROLLED FIELD SO ATC DOESN'T REALLY CARE HOW I GET DOWN'. I DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ARPT TFC UP HERE SINCE I'M WELL ABOVE PATTERN ALT, AND IFR. I FLEW OVER THE VOR, CALLED ATC TO REPORT THAT I WAS ESTABLISHED. HE SEEMED SURPRISED AND ASKED IF I WAS EXECUTING THE VOR APCH. I SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE' AND HE REPLIED OK. DESCENDING INTO VFR CONDITIONS SO I REQUESTED FREQ CHANGE TO CTAF WHICH ATC IMMEDIATELY APPROVED. I DID SEE ANOTHER ACFT WHICH HAD DEPARTED 31 WHO WAS IN A LEFT TURN SLIGHTLY HIGHER, A MILE OR SO AHEAD AND TO THE RIGHT. AFTER LNDG I REPORTED MY DOWN TIME THEN GOT THINKING. I JUST DID SEVERAL REALLY STUPID THINGS. I DID AN INSTRUMENT APCH WITHOUT ATC CLRNC. I GOT WAY TOO CLOSE TO AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITHOUT MONITORING THE CTAF AND ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS. I SHOULD HAVE CIRCLED TO LAND ON THE FAVORED RWY.
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.