IFR flight plan filed using out of service navigation aid. Vectored without clearance limit.

Attributes
ACN	179128
Time
Date	199105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dxn
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zdv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 4360 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	179128
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I filed a flight plan from gsp to W66, IFR at 7000 ft. I was cleared essentially as filed which was direct bzm-lyh-gve-csn-W66. En route I found out gve VOR was OTS. I had been told cxn was OTS and expected to get another fix when cleared. Cxn provides the only approach to W66. I did not file an alternate. Nearing the half way point between lyh and gve, I asked for routing to cover the gve and csn OTS. I was told to fly heading 030 degree radar vector to cxn. I asked for some clearance limit I could identify and was told csn. I tried to get this resolved, but ZDC controller was busy and couldn't. As I flew along in solid IMC at 7000 ft with a ceiling of 1300 ft, I wanted further clarification of my lost communications route. I was not only able to get it, but the controller didn't seem to understand what I needed. He assigned me a radar vector of 360 degrees and then 'terminated' my radar service. The vector was for nowhere. I complained about not having a clearance limit to which I could navigation and was told this was a vector that would allow approach control to eventually vector me to the airport. Dulles approach did not have me radar, confirmed so, and issued me a 'heading of 060 degrees for the warrenton airport.' I told him I couldn't go direct too the airport and wanted a lost communication clearance limit. He said the armel VOR 20 DME was my limit. I asked if there was a particular radial and he said no, 'just enter holding at the 20 DME point,' if I got there before being radar idented. (20 DME is edge of TCA.) I received a descent after being radar idented and broke out at 4500 ft and was able to cancel shortly thereafter. Issues: 1) I should have filed an alternate not based on csn. 2) both zc and iad controllers didn't seem to understand clearance limits and their necessity. 3) other pilots didn't question radar vectors for a facility that couldn't be idented and was off the air. I have spoken to persons at both ZDC and dulles requesting they review their controller's understanding of vectors and alternate rtings. If I had gone lost communication, it would have been all of us guessing where I should go.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR FLT PLAN FILED USING OUT OF SERVICE NAVIGATION AID. VECTORED WITHOUT CLRNC LIMIT.

Narrative: I FILED A FLT PLAN FROM GSP TO W66, IFR AT 7000 FT. I WAS CLRED ESSENTIALLY AS FILED WHICH WAS DIRECT BZM-LYH-GVE-CSN-W66. ENRTE I FOUND OUT GVE VOR WAS OTS. I HAD BEEN TOLD CXN WAS OTS AND EXPECTED TO GET ANOTHER FIX WHEN CLRED. CXN PROVIDES THE ONLY APCH TO W66. I DID NOT FILE AN ALTERNATE. NEARING THE HALF WAY POINT BTWN LYH AND GVE, I ASKED FOR ROUTING TO COVER THE GVE AND CSN OTS. I WAS TOLD TO FLY HDG 030 DEG RADAR VECTOR TO CXN. I ASKED FOR SOME CLRNC LIMIT I COULD IDENT AND WAS TOLD CSN. I TRIED TO GET THIS RESOLVED, BUT ZDC CTLR WAS BUSY AND COULDN'T. AS I FLEW ALONG IN SOLID IMC AT 7000 FT WITH A CEILING OF 1300 FT, I WANTED FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF MY LOST COMS RTE. I WAS NOT ONLY ABLE TO GET IT, BUT THE CTLR DIDN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I NEEDED. HE ASSIGNED ME A RADAR VECTOR OF 360 DEGS AND THEN 'TERMINATED' MY RADAR SVC. THE VECTOR WAS FOR NOWHERE. I COMPLAINED ABOUT NOT HAVING A CLRNC LIMIT TO WHICH I COULD NAV AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A VECTOR THAT WOULD ALLOW APCH CTL TO EVENTUALLY VECTOR ME TO THE ARPT. DULLES APCH DID NOT HAVE ME RADAR, CONFIRMED SO, AND ISSUED ME A 'HDG OF 060 DEGS FOR THE WARRENTON ARPT.' I TOLD HIM I COULDN'T GO DIRECT TOO THE ARPT AND WANTED A LOST COM CLRNC LIMIT. HE SAID THE ARMEL VOR 20 DME WAS MY LIMIT. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A PARTICULAR RADIAL AND HE SAID NO, 'JUST ENTER HOLDING AT THE 20 DME POINT,' IF I GOT THERE BEFORE BEING RADAR IDENTED. (20 DME IS EDGE OF TCA.) I RECEIVED A DSNT AFTER BEING RADAR IDENTED AND BROKE OUT AT 4500 FT AND WAS ABLE TO CANCEL SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ISSUES: 1) I SHOULD HAVE FILED AN ALTERNATE NOT BASED ON CSN. 2) BOTH ZC AND IAD CTLRS DIDN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND CLRNC LIMITS AND THEIR NECESSITY. 3) OTHER PLTS DIDN'T QUESTION RADAR VECTORS FOR A FAC THAT COULDN'T BE IDENTED AND WAS OFF THE AIR. I HAVE SPOKEN TO PERSONS AT BOTH ZDC AND DULLES REQUESTING THEY REVIEW THEIR CTLR'S UNDERSTANDING OF VECTORS AND ALTERNATE RTINGS. IF I HAD GONE LOST COM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL OF US GUESSING WHERE I SHOULD GO.

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.