Narrative:

Problem arose through lack of communication, decision to depart without taking on more fuel captain unfamiliar with IFR operating rules. Departed alb with fuel to get to 1b1 (27 NM south) plus reserves, with intentions of cancelling IFR en route. Albany vectored us 20 NM west, then 10 NM south of 1b1 using more fuel than expected. We were giving holding instructions over pfh beacon which would have depleted our fuel. Hold was due to aircraft departing a local uncontrolled airport. We asked and received a vector north (lower MVA) and descent to 2000 ft MSL with intentions for visual. Captain saw what he thought was runway and began descent without approach clearance. At 1000 ft, alb asked our intentions but captain did not want to cancel IFR -- given immediate climb to 2600 ft, direct pfh. Captain never went above 1300 ft in climb. Perceptions clouded by noise and lack of communication within noisy small transport. Factors affecting decision: albany refused to acknowledge IFR cancellations, requests for lower plus more direct routing. With more fuel we would have just held at pfh and then executed NDB approach. AWOS -- 600 scattered 1500 scattered 3000 overcast 3 NM visibility wind calm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX SMT MADE A VISUAL APCH BEFORE IT RECEIVED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ITS IFR CANCELLATION.

Narrative: PROB AROSE THROUGH LACK OF COM, DECISION TO DEPART WITHOUT TAKING ON MORE FUEL CAPT UNFAMILIAR WITH IFR OPERATING RULES. DEPARTED ALB WITH FUEL TO GET TO 1B1 (27 NM S) PLUS RESERVES, WITH INTENTIONS OF CANCELLING IFR ENRTE. ALBANY VECTORED US 20 NM W, THEN 10 NM S OF 1B1 USING MORE FUEL THAN EXPECTED. WE WERE GIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS OVER PFH BEACON WHICH WOULD HAVE DEPLETED OUR FUEL. HOLD WAS DUE TO ACFT DEPARTING A LCL UNCTLED ARPT. WE ASKED AND RECEIVED A VECTOR N (LOWER MVA) AND DSCNT TO 2000 FT MSL WITH INTENTIONS FOR VISUAL. CAPT SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RWY AND BEGAN DSCNT WITHOUT APCH CLRNC. AT 1000 FT, ALB ASKED OUR INTENTIONS BUT CAPT DID NOT WANT TO CANCEL IFR -- GIVEN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 2600 FT, DIRECT PFH. CAPT NEVER WENT ABOVE 1300 FT IN CLB. PERCEPTIONS CLOUDED BY NOISE AND LACK OF COM WITHIN NOISY SMT. FACTORS AFFECTING DECISION: ALBANY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IFR CANCELLATIONS, REQUESTS FOR LOWER PLUS MORE DIRECT ROUTING. WITH MORE FUEL WE WOULD HAVE JUST HELD AT PFH AND THEN EXECUTED NDB APCH. AWOS -- 600 SCATTERED 1500 SCATTERED 3000 OVCST 3 NM VISIBILITY WIND CALM.

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.