Pilot of small aircraft landed straight in at uncontrolled airport.

Attributes
ACN	186255
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 7d2 airport : 3bb
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 230 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	186255
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was on IFR flight plan from evv to 3BB. Had descended to 3000 ft on radar vector for visual to 3BB. I had seen 7d2 on map but had no idea how cose to 3BB it actually was. When almost over 7d2 I was cleared for the visual approach to 3BB. At this point I figured I was over a controled airport and was unclr as to exactly what to do. I asked approach whether that meant I should switch to advisory or stay with him. His reply was 'you are cleared for the visual approach to 3BB, do you know what that means.' what a loaded question, answer no and I see big trouble ahead; I reply 'yes, I know what that means, I just didn't want to get anyone mad.' I stay at 3000 till way past TD2, cancel IFR and descend and make a straight in approach to runway 9 which I know is active runway due to traffic at 7d2 and 3BB. Being so rattled by the controllers response and my fear of doing something wrong. I completely forgot that it would have been nice to 'fly the pattern' at 3BB before landing. Unicom and visual assured me that I was clear of any traffic, but 'the pattern' would have been safer. This is another example of how one thing can cause subsequent actions to go bad as well. There was never any danger, but from now on I'm going to do a better job of looking for other close airports and understanding them better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA LANDED STRAIGHT IN AT UNCTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WAS ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM EVV TO 3BB. HAD DSNDED TO 3000 FT ON RADAR VECTOR FOR VISUAL TO 3BB. I HAD SEEN 7D2 ON MAP BUT HAD NO IDEA HOW COSE TO 3BB IT ACTUALLY WAS. WHEN ALMOST OVER 7D2 I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO 3BB. AT THIS POINT I FIGURED I WAS OVER A CTLED ARPT AND WAS UNCLR AS TO EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. I ASKED APCH WHETHER THAT MEANT I SHOULD SWITCH TO ADVISORY OR STAY WITH HIM. HIS REPLY WAS 'YOU ARE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO 3BB, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.' WHAT A LOADED QUESTION, ANSWER NO AND I SEE BIG TROUBLE AHEAD; I REPLY 'YES, I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET ANYONE MAD.' I STAY AT 3000 TILL WAY PAST TD2, CANCEL IFR AND DSND AND MAKE A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 9 WHICH I KNOW IS ACTIVE RWY DUE TO TFC AT 7D2 AND 3BB. BEING SO RATTLED BY THE CTLRS RESPONSE AND MY FEAR OF DOING SOMETHING WRONG. I COMPLETELY FORGOT THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO 'FLY THE PATTERN' AT 3BB BEFORE LNDG. UNICOM AND VISUAL ASSURED ME THAT I WAS CLR OF ANY TFC, BUT 'THE PATTERN' WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER. THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE THING CAN CAUSE SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS TO GO BAD AS WELL. THERE WAS NEVER ANY DANGER, BUT FROM NOW ON I'M GOING TO DO A BETTER JOB OF LOOKING FOR OTHER CLOSE ARPTS AND UNDERSTANDING THEM BETTER.

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.