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Approach controller was surprised when the pilot of a C182 asked them when turning final, after being cleared for a visual approach, if he should contact the tower. He had been cleared for the visual approach over the top of the airport and did not hear to contact the tower prior to his inquiry.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 397530 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mtn |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mtn tower : evv |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 397530 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was requested by baltimore approach to descend to 3000 ft for vectors to a visual approach runway 15 mtn. I was vectored over the top of mtn and then cleared for a visual approach runway 15 from an altitude of 3000 ft. (I was actively talking to approach while over the airport.) I made a turn to enter a very high left downwind for runway 15. I flew the pattern and as I turned final I asked approach if I should change to tower frequency. Approach said change to tower (they seemed surprised). The tower was certainly surprised by my position. When I landed ground control said that ATC had told them that they asked me to change to tower frequency 'some distance out' and that they were surprised when I called approach on final. This was not true. I was cleared for the visual approach when I was directly over the airport. (Why would I be 3000 ft over the airport if I had been cleared for the visual and told to switch over to tower 'some distance out?) while I feel I did nothing wrong, I should have questioned approach on the changeover to tower a little sooner. However, it is not unusual to stay with approach until final.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE PLT OF A C182 ASKED THEM WHEN TURNING FINAL, AFTER BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, IF HE SHOULD CONTACT THE TWR. HE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH OVER THE TOP OF THE ARPT AND DID NOT HEAR TO CONTACT THE TWR PRIOR TO HIS INQUIRY.
Narrative: I WAS REQUESTED BY BALTIMORE APCH TO DSND TO 3000 FT FOR VECTORS TO A VISUAL APCH RWY 15 MTN. I WAS VECTORED OVER THE TOP OF MTN AND THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH RWY 15 FROM AN ALT OF 3000 FT. (I WAS ACTIVELY TALKING TO APCH WHILE OVER THE ARPT.) I MADE A TURN TO ENTER A VERY HIGH L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 15. I FLEW THE PATTERN AND AS I TURNED FINAL I ASKED APCH IF I SHOULD CHANGE TO TWR FREQ. APCH SAID CHANGE TO TWR (THEY SEEMED SURPRISED). THE TWR WAS CERTAINLY SURPRISED BY MY POS. WHEN I LANDED GND CTL SAID THAT ATC HAD TOLD THEM THAT THEY ASKED ME TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ 'SOME DISTANCE OUT' AND THAT THEY WERE SURPRISED WHEN I CALLED APCH ON FINAL. THIS WAS NOT TRUE. I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH WHEN I WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE ARPT. (WHY WOULD I BE 3000 FT OVER THE ARPT IF I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND TOLD TO SWITCH OVER TO TWR 'SOME DISTANCE OUT?) WHILE I FEEL I DID NOTHING WRONG, I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED APCH ON THE CHANGEOVER TO TWR A LITTLE SOONER. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO STAY WITH APCH UNTIL FINAL.
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.