Small aircraft enters pdk air traffic area without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	136688
Time
Date	199002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdk
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdk tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 820
ASRS Report	136688
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

My wife and I were approaching pdk from the north. We had monitored the tower (they have no approach control and ask that you don't call until you are 5 mi out). The traffic was so heavy that the tower guy sounded like an auctioneer. I started trying to call at 6 mi out (LORAN distance). Every time I caught a break in the talk I called but someone closer got in on the frequency before I did. We had a tailwind and I was showing a ground speed of 125 KTS. I kept thinking I would get in on the frequency but the short time available was up and I was over the middle of the airport before I ever got the tower. The controller vectored me for landing with no problem but chided me for coming in without calling first. I do not feel comfortable flying around in a 5 mi circle around pdk waiting to get the tower because of the very heavy traffic landing and departing. The tower guy was great but he was handling too many planes for one frequency. Sometimes pdk has an east and a west tower frequency but was using only one at this time. They have 10 times the traffic of tri-cities regional airport, my home base, which has east approach, west approach and tower. I have been into pdk many times and this was the second time I had problems. Once they vectored me all over atlanta for 20 mins trying to get everything on the ground late one evening. Next time I'm going to start calling from 10 mi out no matter what they say and if I don't get them by 5 mi I guess I'll climb and circle and try to avoid the traffic. Since pdk is so busy, why not use some of the aviation trust fund and get them some approach control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS PDK ATA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I WERE APCHING PDK FROM THE NORTH. WE HAD MONITORED THE TWR (THEY HAVE NO APCH CTL AND ASK THAT YOU DON'T CALL UNTIL YOU ARE 5 MI OUT). THE TFC WAS SO HEAVY THAT THE TWR GUY SOUNDED LIKE AN AUCTIONEER. I STARTED TRYING TO CALL AT 6 MI OUT (LORAN DISTANCE). EVERY TIME I CAUGHT A BREAK IN THE TALK I CALLED BUT SOMEONE CLOSER GOT IN ON THE FREQ BEFORE I DID. WE HAD A TAILWIND AND I WAS SHOWING A GND SPEED OF 125 KTS. I KEPT THINKING I WOULD GET IN ON THE FREQ BUT THE SHORT TIME AVAILABLE WAS UP AND I WAS OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE ARPT BEFORE I EVER GOT THE TWR. THE CTLR VECTORED ME FOR LNDG WITH NO PROBLEM BUT CHIDED ME FOR COMING IN WITHOUT CALLING FIRST. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE FLYING AROUND IN A 5 MI CIRCLE AROUND PDK WAITING TO GET THE TWR BECAUSE OF THE VERY HEAVY TFC LNDG AND DEPARTING. THE TWR GUY WAS GREAT BUT HE WAS HANDLING TOO MANY PLANES FOR ONE FREQ. SOMETIMES PDK HAS AN E AND A W TWR FREQ BUT WAS USING ONLY ONE AT THIS TIME. THEY HAVE 10 TIMES THE TFC OF TRI-CITIES REGIONAL ARPT, MY HOME BASE, WHICH HAS E APCH, W APCH AND TWR. I HAVE BEEN INTO PDK MANY TIMES AND THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I HAD PROBLEMS. ONCE THEY VECTORED ME ALL OVER ATLANTA FOR 20 MINS TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING ON THE GND LATE ONE EVENING. NEXT TIME I'M GOING TO START CALLING FROM 10 MI OUT NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY AND IF I DON'T GET THEM BY 5 MI I GUESS I'LL CLIMB AND CIRCLE AND TRY TO AVOID THE TFC. SINCE PDK IS SO BUSY, WHY NOT USE SOME OF THE AVIATION TRUST FUND AND GET THEM SOME APCH CTL.

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.