Narrative:

I was flying from la guardia to east hampton, VFR day, in an small aircraft a. We were talking to new york ATC for advisories and flight following. WX was clear, 5-10 mi in haze. As we approached our destination hto, new york ATC could not affect a handoff to the next radar control. We squawked 1200 VFR and called east hampton unicom to get the WX. It was IFR. WX 1/4 fog. 1 mi from the airport was still clear so we circled away from the airport in VFR conditions. Several aircraft were missing the approach into hto and then we noticed a helicopter pop through the fog and climb wbound. I was monitoring new york ATC an 132.25 and heard the helicopter say there was an small aircraft a directly overhead the airport just above the fog. It was not our aircraft. However, there were about 2 or 3 other aircraft overhead the field flying VFR-on-top that I saw. I believe the helicopter mistook them for us. I feel that the ATC system is overcrowded. I would have liked to have continued flight following but new york ATC was too busy. Also, I don't think other aircraft should mention another aircraft unless they're positive of type, etc. An small aircraft a in flight can look very similar to say an small aircraft B or small aircraft C. I was well clear of the east hampton airport at all times by at least 2 mi, always maintaining ground contact and never flying into clouds or fog or flying VFR-on-top of the fog deck. I landed VFR at shelter island.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ARRIVES AT DEST WITH FOG MOVING IN. CIRCLES NEARBY, DIVERTS TO ALTERNATE ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM LA GUARDIA TO E HAMPTON, VFR DAY, IN AN SMA A. WE WERE TALKING TO NEW YORK ATC FOR ADVISORIES AND FLT FOLLOWING. WX WAS CLR, 5-10 MI IN HAZE. AS WE APCHED OUR DEST HTO, NEW YORK ATC COULD NOT AFFECT A HDOF TO THE NEXT RADAR CTL. WE SQUAWKED 1200 VFR AND CALLED E HAMPTON UNICOM TO GET THE WX. IT WAS IFR. WX 1/4 FOG. 1 MI FROM THE ARPT WAS STILL CLR SO WE CIRCLED AWAY FROM THE ARPT IN VFR CONDITIONS. SEVERAL ACFT WERE MISSING THE APCH INTO HTO AND THEN WE NOTICED A HELI POP THROUGH THE FOG AND CLB WBOUND. I WAS MONITORING NEW YORK ATC AN 132.25 AND HEARD THE HELI SAY THERE WAS AN SMA A DIRECTLY OVERHEAD THE ARPT JUST ABOVE THE FOG. IT WAS NOT OUR ACFT. HOWEVER, THERE WERE ABOUT 2 OR 3 OTHER ACFT OVERHEAD THE FIELD FLYING VFR-ON-TOP THAT I SAW. I BELIEVE THE HELI MISTOOK THEM FOR US. I FEEL THAT THE ATC SYS IS OVERCROWDED. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE CONTINUED FLT FOLLOWING BUT NEW YORK ATC WAS TOO BUSY. ALSO, I DON'T THINK OTHER ACFT SHOULD MENTION ANOTHER ACFT UNLESS THEY'RE POSITIVE OF TYPE, ETC. AN SMA A IN FLT CAN LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO SAY AN SMA B OR SMA C. I WAS WELL CLR OF THE E HAMPTON ARPT AT ALL TIMES BY AT LEAST 2 MI, ALWAYS MAINTAINING GND CONTACT AND NEVER FLYING INTO CLOUDS OR FOG OR FLYING VFR-ON-TOP OF THE FOG DECK. I LANDED VFR AT SHELTER ISLAND.

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.