A VFR small aircraft entered air traffic area without tower knowledge during IFR conditions.

Attributes
ACN	140938
Time
Date	199003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	140938
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

After departing ZZZ for xyz. We used ZZZ, XXX and xyz approach controls en route. Everything seemed to go normally until I came off the hospital in (7.5 NM) xyz. I called abc tower for SVFR clearance because their WX was 7000' overcast and 2 mi in fog. I informed them that I would be coming to 5 NM southwest and holding for clearance into the zone. I was informed to contact approach, so I did and informed them of my intentions. It took approach some time to find me and identify. They asked if I would be holding on the extended centerline, and I told them no, that I would be holding at my present position, about 200 degrees from the airport and 5 NM on LORAN at 1000'. At that time they rogered me and issued clearance into the zone. At 70' and 2 NM my calls to approach were unanswered, so I called the tower and told them I would circle at 2 NM for landing clearance, and they gave it to me. After landing I called the tower by phone (but was not requested to), and asked if that was normal procedure or what was I to do differently next time. They informed me they knew I was coming, but didn't realize I was in the zone, approach had not told them, which was sometimes the norm. This is bad procedure and you should be talking to tower at 5 NM inside the zone on SVFR. They also said there were no problems and appreciated the call for landing clearance because some people come in and land west/O talking to tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR SMA ENTERED ATA WITHOUT TWR KNOWLEDGE DURING IFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ZZZ FOR XYZ. WE USED ZZZ, XXX AND XYZ APCH CTLS ENRTE. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO GO NORMALLY UNTIL I CAME OFF THE HOSPITAL IN (7.5 NM) XYZ. I CALLED ABC TWR FOR SVFR CLRNC BECAUSE THEIR WX WAS 7000' OVCST AND 2 MI IN FOG. I INFORMED THEM THAT I WOULD BE COMING TO 5 NM SW AND HOLDING FOR CLRNC INTO THE ZONE. I WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT APCH, SO I DID AND INFORMED THEM OF MY INTENTIONS. IT TOOK APCH SOME TIME TO FIND ME AND IDENT. THEY ASKED IF I WOULD BE HOLDING ON THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE, AND I TOLD THEM NO, THAT I WOULD BE HOLDING AT MY PRESENT POS, ABOUT 200 DEGS FROM THE ARPT AND 5 NM ON LORAN AT 1000'. AT THAT TIME THEY ROGERED ME AND ISSUED CLRNC INTO THE ZONE. AT 70' AND 2 NM MY CALLS TO APCH WERE UNANSWERED, SO I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM I WOULD CIRCLE AT 2 NM FOR LNDG CLRNC, AND THEY GAVE IT TO ME. AFTER LNDG I CALLED THE TWR BY PHONE (BUT WAS NOT REQUESTED TO), AND ASKED IF THAT WAS NORMAL PROC OR WHAT WAS I TO DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME. THEY INFORMED ME THEY KNEW I WAS COMING, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS IN THE ZONE, APCH HAD NOT TOLD THEM, WHICH WAS SOMETIMES THE NORM. THIS IS BAD PROC AND YOU SHOULD BE TALKING TO TWR AT 5 NM INSIDE THE ZONE ON SVFR. THEY ALSO SAID THERE WERE NO PROBS AND APPRECIATED THE CALL FOR LNDG CLRNC BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE COME IN AND LAND W/O TALKING TO TWR.

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.