Narrative:

On an IFR flight from sna I understood from slc approach that I was being vectored west of the airport and to expect the ILS 16R approach, for which I set up the approach plate and frequencys. The approach controller vectored me inside the 16R marker and asked if I had the airport in sight. I said 'no,' but that I had the ground and city lights in the airport vicinity. It was obvious from the proximity to the airport and his question that he was now vectoring me to accept the visibility approach. I told him that he was taking me through the localizer course and he informed me I would be landing on the left and told me to contact the tower. The tower asked me if I had airport in sight. I said 'no' (my eyes were adjusting to the dark and the airport was unfamiliar), and asked for a vector and I would be able to pick it up soon. I was then astonished to be 'cleared for the ILS 16L approach.' by now I had the airport in sight and asked the tower to confirm it was the approach lights at 12 O'clock. I also asked them to confirm that there was an ILS 16L approach since, in the confusion of being VFR and being 'cleared for the approach' I couldn't immediately find the approach plate (it is on the reverse of the ILS 16R plate, which was in my plate holder), and when I located it I set up the frequencys, but I was too close to the airport to shoot an approach and was in visibility conditions long before that, anyway. Upon landing I was told to contact the tower supervisor who inferred to me that somehow he thought I was in violation of some far. In fact I was not in any violation that I'm aware of, but the FAA personnel caused me a great deal of confusion through their actions and handling of the approach and landing phase and may have been in violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT SLOW TO SIGHT ARPT WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS VISUAL APCH TO SLC.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM SNA I UNDERSTOOD FROM SLC APCH THAT I WAS BEING VECTORED W OF THE ARPT AND TO EXPECT THE ILS 16R APCH, FOR WHICH I SET UP THE APCH PLATE AND FREQS. THE APCH CTLR VECTORED ME INSIDE THE 16R MARKER AND ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I SAID 'NO,' BUT THAT I HAD THE GND AND CITY LIGHTS IN THE ARPT VICINITY. IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM THE PROX TO THE ARPT AND HIS QUESTION THAT HE WAS NOW VECTORING ME TO ACCEPT THE VIS APCH. I TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS TAKING ME THROUGH THE LOC COURSE AND HE INFORMED ME I WOULD BE LNDG ON THE LEFT AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. THE TWR ASKED ME IF I HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. I SAID 'NO' (MY EYES WERE ADJUSTING TO THE DARK AND THE ARPT WAS UNFAMILIAR), AND ASKED FOR A VECTOR AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO PICK IT UP SOON. I WAS THEN ASTONISHED TO BE 'CLRED FOR THE ILS 16L APCH.' BY NOW I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND ASKED THE TWR TO CONFIRM IT WAS THE APCH LIGHTS AT 12 O'CLOCK. I ALSO ASKED THEM TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS AN ILS 16L APCH SINCE, IN THE CONFUSION OF BEING VFR AND BEING 'CLRED FOR THE APCH' I COULDN'T IMMEDIATELY FIND THE APCH PLATE (IT IS ON THE REVERSE OF THE ILS 16R PLATE, WHICH WAS IN MY PLATE HOLDER), AND WHEN I LOCATED IT I SET UP THE FREQS, BUT I WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE ARPT TO SHOOT AN APCH AND WAS IN VIS CONDITIONS LONG BEFORE THAT, ANYWAY. UPON LNDG I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR SUPVR WHO INFERRED TO ME THAT SOMEHOW HE THOUGHT I WAS IN VIOLATION OF SOME FAR. IN FACT I WAS NOT IN ANY VIOLATION THAT I'M AWARE OF, BUT THE FAA PERSONNEL CAUSED ME A GREAT DEAL OF CONFUSION THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS AND HANDLING OF THE APCH AND LNDG PHASE AND MAY HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION.

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.