Narrative:

I was the captain on a 30 passenger advanced turboprop aircraft operating scheduled commuter service. On our approach into the MSL muscle shoals, alabama airport there was a conflict in ATC clearance. WX at the time of our operation was thunderstorms, rain showers with ragged ceilings, visibility was reported 2 mi. The MSL airport has an airport advisory service (FSS) on field at the time of operations. I had advised center that the WX was moving rapidly and we would like to circle to the south for approach to the wnw. We were cleared to 2700 MSL, cleared for ILS 29, maintain 2700 until established on published segment of approach, cleared to MSL radio. We switched frequencys as we attempted to penetrate WX, the turbulence and radar returns required us to make a 180+ turn instead of continuing to VOR, we advised MSL radio of our turn and in rollout of turn we had sighted airport. I advised radio of our current position and asked for updated visibility report. Specialist reported 3 mi and improving. I told the specialist we were going to try for a visual approach. Specialist told us ok and that mem center wanted us to return to his frequency. He wanted to know our position and intentions. I explained (shortly) to him our intentions to shoot visual approach. I was chastised on radio for not having the visual approach clearance. My position is that while obtaining a visibility report from FSS I would have had them relay to center our request for visual clearance. This opportunity was not afforded me before the center controller's inquiry and our subsequent return to center's frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT AVOIDING WX ESTABLISHES VISUAL APCH WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON A 30 PAX ADVANCED TURBOPROP ACFT OPERATING SCHEDULED COMMUTER SVC. ON OUR APCH INTO THE MSL MUSCLE SHOALS, ALABAMA ARPT THERE WAS A CONFLICT IN ATC CLRNC. WX AT THE TIME OF OUR OP WAS TSTMS, RAIN SHOWERS WITH RAGGED CEILINGS, VISIBILITY WAS RPTED 2 MI. THE MSL ARPT HAS AN ARPT ADVISORY SVC (FSS) ON FIELD AT THE TIME OF OPS. I HAD ADVISED CENTER THAT THE WX WAS MOVING RAPIDLY AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CIRCLE TO THE S FOR APCH TO THE WNW. WE WERE CLRED TO 2700 MSL, CLRED FOR ILS 29, MAINTAIN 2700 UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON PUBLISHED SEGMENT OF APCH, CLRED TO MSL RADIO. WE SWITCHED FREQS AS WE ATTEMPTED TO PENETRATE WX, THE TURB AND RADAR RETURNS REQUIRED US TO MAKE A 180+ TURN INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO VOR, WE ADVISED MSL RADIO OF OUR TURN AND IN ROLLOUT OF TURN WE HAD SIGHTED ARPT. I ADVISED RADIO OF OUR CURRENT POS AND ASKED FOR UPDATED VISIBILITY RPT. SPECIALIST RPTED 3 MI AND IMPROVING. I TOLD THE SPECIALIST WE WERE GOING TO TRY FOR A VISUAL APCH. SPECIALIST TOLD US OK AND THAT MEM CENTER WANTED US TO RETURN TO HIS FREQ. HE WANTED TO KNOW OUR POS AND INTENTIONS. I EXPLAINED (SHORTLY) TO HIM OUR INTENTIONS TO SHOOT VISUAL APCH. I WAS CHASTISED ON RADIO FOR NOT HAVING THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC. MY POS IS THAT WHILE OBTAINING A VISIBILITY RPT FROM FSS I WOULD HAVE HAD THEM RELAY TO CENTER OUR REQUEST FOR VISUAL CLRNC. THIS OPPORTUNITY WAS NOT AFFORDED ME BEFORE THE CENTER CTLR'S INQUIRY AND OUR SUBSEQUENT RETURN TO CENTER'S FREQ.

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.