Narrative:

About 12 mi northeast of ykm, ZSE cleared 'light transport to fly heading about 220, descend and maintain 7000' and intercept the localizer.' this was accomplished putting our aircraft inbound on the localizer about 8 mi east of ykm (our filed destination). ZSE started to issue a new clearance, but the transmission failed after our call sign was heard. We attempted to contact ZSE several times with no success. As a last resort, we broadcast in the blind to ZSE that we would attempt to contact ykm tower. While the copilot attempted to established contact with the tower and being VMC, I proceeded to the airport under VFR operations. I departed 7000' for 4500' to overfly the airport and maneuver to enter left traffic for the airport. We observed traffic, an small aircraft, proceeding swbnd below us and remained clear of that traffic until clear. Continuing our descent, the copilot made contact with tower and advised them we were lost communication with ZSE and we had the airport in sight. Tower told us to contact ykm approach control. On contact with approach control, they inquired about our altitude, which we advised them was 5000'. He advised us to climb and maintain 6000' because of IFR traffic at the OM at 5000' and proceed to the OM and hold. We climbed immediately to 6000', and proceeded to the OM, entered hold and then was cleared to follow the small aircraft we had observed and avoided, and cleared to 5000'. We landed #2 behind the small aircraft on a visibility approach. After landing we were told to contact ZSE which we did after arriving at mcchord AFB, wa. The supervisor told me I should have gone to the ykm VOR at 7000' and held until my ete had expired. I did not disagree nor did I agree. I knew there would be an investigation started and I could debate my actions with my commander and an FAA investigator which I have done. My main point ot the investigator aside from why I took the actions I did was the safety of flight when ATC felt I should have proceeded IFR when my regulations covered in the 'pilots flight information handbook,' page A7, states that under VMC I am to maintain VFR, land as soon as practical and notify ATC unless I am VFR on top and a descent in IMC would be required to land. Then I would have proceeded IFR to ykm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL LTT AT 7000' ON IFR FLT PLAN TO YKM LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH ZSE AND DESCENDED VMC TOWARD THE ARPT. WHEN CONTACT ESTABLISHED WITH YKM APCH CTL, FLT CREW WAS ADVISED TO CLIMB BACK TO 6000' DUE IFR TRAFFIC AT 5000'.

Narrative: ABOUT 12 MI NE OF YKM, ZSE CLRED 'LTT TO FLY HDG ABOUT 220, DSND AND MAINTAIN 7000' AND INTERCEPT THE LOC.' THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED PUTTING OUR ACFT INBND ON THE LOC ABOUT 8 MI E OF YKM (OUR FILED DEST). ZSE STARTED TO ISSUE A NEW CLRNC, BUT THE XMISSION FAILED AFTER OUR CALL SIGN WAS HEARD. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZSE SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. AS A LAST RESORT, WE BROADCAST IN THE BLIND TO ZSE THAT WE WOULD ATTEMPT TO CONTACT YKM TWR. WHILE THE COPLT ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH THE TWR AND BEING VMC, I PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT UNDER VFR OPS. I DEPARTED 7000' FOR 4500' TO OVERFLY THE ARPT AND MANEUVER TO ENTER LEFT TFC FOR THE ARPT. WE OBSERVED TFC, AN SMA, PROCEEDING SWBND BELOW US AND REMAINED CLR OF THAT TFC UNTIL CLR. CONTINUING OUR DSCNT, THE COPLT MADE CONTACT WITH TWR AND ADVISED THEM WE WERE LOST COM WITH ZSE AND WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. TWR TOLD US TO CONTACT YKM APCH CTL. ON CONTACT WITH APCH CTL, THEY INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ALT, WHICH WE ADVISED THEM WAS 5000'. HE ADVISED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 6000' BECAUSE OF IFR TFC AT THE OM AT 5000' AND PROCEED TO THE OM AND HOLD. WE CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO 6000', AND PROCEEDED TO THE OM, ENTERED HOLD AND THEN WAS CLRED TO FOLLOW THE SMA WE HAD OBSERVED AND AVOIDED, AND CLRED TO 5000'. WE LANDED #2 BEHIND THE SMA ON A VIS APCH. AFTER LNDG WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT ZSE WHICH WE DID AFTER ARRIVING AT MCCHORD AFB, WA. THE SUPVR TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THE YKM VOR AT 7000' AND HELD UNTIL MY ETE HAD EXPIRED. I DID NOT DISAGREE NOR DID I AGREE. I KNEW THERE WOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION STARTED AND I COULD DEBATE MY ACTIONS WITH MY COMMANDER AND AN FAA INVESTIGATOR WHICH I HAVE DONE. MY MAIN POINT OT THE INVESTIGATOR ASIDE FROM WHY I TOOK THE ACTIONS I DID WAS THE SAFETY OF FLT WHEN ATC FELT I SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED IFR WHEN MY REGS COVERED IN THE 'PLTS FLT INFO HANDBOOK,' PAGE A7, STATES THAT UNDER VMC I AM TO MAINTAIN VFR, LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AND NOTIFY ATC UNLESS I AM VFR ON TOP AND A DSCNT IN IMC WOULD BE REQUIRED TO LAND. THEN I WOULD HAVE PROCEEDED IFR TO YKM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.