Unable to continue visual approach account limited visibility.

Attributes
ACN	176055
Time
Date	199104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 321 flight time type : 321
ASRS Report	176055
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Passenger and I (both wearing headsets and both listening to ATC instructions) were en route to dca while under IFR flight plan. Passenger has had instruction (lessons) although not a pilot. Near the location mentioned above, ATC asked if I could see the airport. I replied, 'affirmative.' he was quite busy. At that time, he said, 'cleared for the visibility approach runway 21. Stay over river (to the east) to remain clear of the prohibited area (P56).' I responded with same instructions to verify. ATC never said, 'radar service terminated--contact tower on 119.1.' passenger concurs with this fact. Therefore, I assumed I was still under ATC control. Visibility was marginal and I was having problem identing exact runway environment. I then requested ATC to give us a radar vector to runway 21, as I slowly began descent. ATC's reply was angry, saying I should already be talking to tower. He then ordered a 'left 360 degree turn, continue descent.' he then said, 'radar terminated, contact tower 119.1.' I contacted tower; however, in the confusion, we were high for the straight in approach to runway 21. Tower had to vector us over airport and around for approach to runway 15. No actual traffic conflict occurred, nor was there any danger due to aircraft proxs. In retrospect, small aircraft should not be operating at extremely busy primary airports during rush hour. In the professional world, a pilot would have assumed he was to contact tower and no such problem would have occurred. We've been to dca before with excellent results, but during quieter times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO CONTINUE VISUAL APCH ACCOUNT LIMITED VISIBILITY.

Narrative: PAX AND I (BOTH WEARING HEADSETS AND BOTH LISTENING TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS) WERE ENRTE TO DCA WHILE UNDER IFR FLT PLAN. PAX HAS HAD INSTRUCTION (LESSONS) ALTHOUGH NOT A PLT. NEAR THE LOCATION MENTIONED ABOVE, ATC ASKED IF I COULD SEE THE ARPT. I REPLIED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' HE WAS QUITE BUSY. AT THAT TIME, HE SAID, 'CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH RWY 21. STAY OVER RIVER (TO THE E) TO REMAIN CLR OF THE PROHIBITED AREA (P56).' I RESPONDED WITH SAME INSTRUCTIONS TO VERIFY. ATC NEVER SAID, 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED--CONTACT TWR ON 119.1.' PAX CONCURS WITH THIS FACT. THEREFORE, I ASSUMED I WAS STILL UNDER ATC CTL. VISIBILITY WAS MARGINAL AND I WAS HAVING PROB IDENTING EXACT RWY ENVIRONMENT. I THEN REQUESTED ATC TO GIVE US A RADAR VECTOR TO RWY 21, AS I SLOWLY BEGAN DSNT. ATC'S REPLY WAS ANGRY, SAYING I SHOULD ALREADY BE TALKING TO TWR. HE THEN ORDERED A 'LEFT 360 DEG TURN, CONTINUE DSNT.' HE THEN SAID, 'RADAR TERMINATED, CONTACT TWR 119.1.' I CONTACTED TWR; HOWEVER, IN THE CONFUSION, WE WERE HIGH FOR THE STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 21. TWR HAD TO VECTOR US OVER ARPT AND AROUND FOR APCH TO RWY 15. NO ACTUAL TFC CONFLICT OCCURRED, NOR WAS THERE ANY DANGER DUE TO ACFT PROXS. IN RETROSPECT, SMA SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING AT EXTREMELY BUSY PRIMARY ARPTS DURING RUSH HR. IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD, A PLT WOULD HAVE ASSUMED HE WAS TO CONTACT TWR AND NO SUCH PROB WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. WE'VE BEEN TO DCA BEFORE WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS, BUT DURING QUIETER TIMES.

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.