Corp aircraft on visual approach alleged to have entered class D airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	316900
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cgx
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cgx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	316900
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On an IFR flight from msp-cgx, vectored to a visual by O'hare approach. Handoff was delayed. Called meigs in sight for visual approach. Control cleared us for visual approach and instructed us to change to tower frequency. When we did, the tower controller was engaged in discussions with 2 other pilots. My copilot delayed the radio call establishing contact so as not to interrupt the flow of communication between controller and pilots. When we finally made contact we were on downwind. After landing the tower requested we call them on the telephone. I called the tower and the controller said we had entered class 'D' without tower clearance. I explained why we delayed the initial call. My understanding is that on an IFR flight plan the initial clearance at the departure airport is clearance to enter all airspace along the route of flight. Some contributing factors included a late change over from O'hare approach. The meigs controller was engaged in an ongoing discussion with other pilots, and my copilot was fresh from 20 yrs of military flying. We had been flying together for 2 months and I had noticed a slow response time to ATC instructions, as well as a relaxed view towards ATC authority/authorized and the general quick flow of radio communication in busy and congested airspace. He did not always comprehend the urgency that ATC operates with these days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT ON VISUAL APCH ALLEGED TO HAVE ENTERED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM MSP-CGX, VECTORED TO A VISUAL BY O'HARE APCH. HDOF WAS DELAYED. CALLED MEIGS IN SIGHT FOR VISUAL APCH. CTL CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH AND INSTRUCTED US TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ. WHEN WE DID, THE TWR CTLR WAS ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH 2 OTHER PLTS. MY COPLT DELAYED THE RADIO CALL ESTABLISHING CONTACT SO AS NOT TO INTERRUPT THE FLOW OF COM BTWN CTLR AND PLTS. WHEN WE FINALLY MADE CONTACT WE WERE ON DOWNWIND. AFTER LNDG THE TWR REQUESTED WE CALL THEM ON THE TELEPHONE. I CALLED THE TWR AND THE CTLR SAID WE HAD ENTERED CLASS 'D' WITHOUT TWR CLRNC. I EXPLAINED WHY WE DELAYED THE INITIAL CALL. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN THE INITIAL CLRNC AT THE DEP ARPT IS CLRNC TO ENTER ALL AIRSPACE ALONG THE RTE OF FLT. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED A LATE CHANGE OVER FROM O'HARE APCH. THE MEIGS CTLR WAS ENGAGED IN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION WITH OTHER PLTS, AND MY COPLT WAS FRESH FROM 20 YRS OF MIL FLYING. WE HAD BEEN FLYING TOGETHER FOR 2 MONTHS AND I HAD NOTICED A SLOW RESPONSE TIME TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS, AS WELL AS A RELAXED VIEW TOWARDS ATC AUTH AND THE GENERAL QUICK FLOW OF RADIO COM IN BUSY AND CONGESTED AIRSPACE. HE DID NOT ALWAYS COMPREHEND THE URGENCY THAT ATC OPERATES WITH THESE DAYS.

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.