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Small aircraft on IFR flight plan makes an NDB approach on center clearance and arrives unannounced into vrb air traffic area control zone.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 147218 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199005 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : vrb |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 580 msl bound upper : 580 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma tower : vrb |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 147218 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
While on an IFR flight plan from fmy to vrb, I requested and received a full NDB approach at brv from ZMA. When procedure turn inbound completed, ZMA handed us off to vrb tower. Due to extreme frequency congestion and the short distance between procedure turn completion and arrival at the air traffic area pattern, radio acknowledgement from vrb tower was received only after our arrival into the pattern. No imminent conflict was noted at time; however, the tower controller became hostile and unprofessional over the radio, further tying up the frequency. He also appeared surprised at our arrival. It's my understanding that aircraft operating under full IFR clearance and approach are protected from VFR aircraft and that the tower should have been notified of our approach. Yet it appears as if the tower kept full VFR operation in effect throughout the approach.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN MAKES AN NDB APCH ON CENTER CLRNC AND ARRIVES UNANNOUNCED INTO VRB ATA CTL ZONE.
Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM FMY TO VRB, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A FULL NDB APCH AT BRV FROM ZMA. WHEN PROC TURN INBND COMPLETED, ZMA HANDED US OFF TO VRB TWR. DUE TO EXTREME FREQ CONGESTION AND THE SHORT DISTANCE BTWN PROC TURN COMPLETION AND ARR AT THE ATA PATTERN, RADIO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM VRB TWR WAS RECEIVED ONLY AFTER OUR ARR INTO THE PATTERN. NO IMMINENT CONFLICT WAS NOTED AT TIME; HOWEVER, THE TWR CTLR BECAME HOSTILE AND UNPROFESSIONAL OVER THE RADIO, FURTHER TYING UP THE FREQ. HE ALSO APPEARED SURPRISED AT OUR ARR. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ACFT OPERATING UNDER FULL IFR CLRNC AND APCH ARE PROTECTED FROM VFR ACFT AND THAT THE TWR SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF OUR APCH. YET IT APPEARS AS IF THE TWR KEPT FULL VFR OPERATION IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE APCH.
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.