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A captain reports having left the approach controller's frequency without a handoff. The flight was on vectors for a visual approach in VFR conditions, with the field in sight, and requested further clearance from the tower. The approach controller had become distracted transmitting a clearance given to an aircraft that was still on the ground.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 341860 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sbn |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 2000 agl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sbn tower : sbn tower : tul |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Beech 1900 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 341860 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
ATC approach control frequency was congested. ATC controller did not answer repeated xmissions. Aircraft was heading through final approach course and descending without further clearance. The controller was talking to GA aircraft on the ground at another airport, trying to work out the details of a clearance. Our aircraft continued off course, descending. In my opinion the controller had lost his awareness of our position and in spite of repeated attempts to contact him he would not acknowledge. We changed to tower frequency since we were in his airspace, put 1200 code in transponder and idented, to notify approach of our intent to cancel IFR. Told the tower we had the field and received a clearance to land. The aircraft on the ground could have waited until approach control had accomplished his primary job of IFR traffic separation and sequencing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CAPT RPTS HAVING LEFT THE APCH CTLR'S FREQ WITHOUT A HDOF. THE FLT WAS ON VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH IN VFR CONDITIONS, WITH THE FIELD IN SIGHT, AND REQUESTED FURTHER CLRNC FROM THE TWR. THE APCH CTLR HAD BECOME DISTRACTED XMITTING A CLRNC GIVEN TO AN ACFT THAT WAS STILL ON THE GND.
Narrative: ATC APCH CTL FREQ WAS CONGESTED. ATC CTLR DID NOT ANSWER REPEATED XMISSIONS. ACFT WAS HEADING THROUGH FINAL APCH COURSE AND DSNDING WITHOUT FURTHER CLRNC. THE CTLR WAS TALKING TO GA ACFT ON THE GND AT ANOTHER ARPT, TRYING TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS OF A CLRNC. OUR ACFT CONTINUED OFF COURSE, DSNDING. IN MY OPINION THE CTLR HAD LOST HIS AWARENESS OF OUR POS AND IN SPITE OF REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT HIM HE WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. WE CHANGED TO TWR FREQ SINCE WE WERE IN HIS AIRSPACE, PUT 1200 CODE IN XPONDER AND IDENTED, TO NOTIFY APCH OF OUR INTENT TO CANCEL IFR. TOLD THE TWR WE HAD THE FIELD AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO LAND. THE ACFT ON THE GND COULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL APCH CTL HAD ACCOMPLISHED HIS PRIMARY JOB OF IFR TFC SEPARATION AND SEQUENCING.
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.