Narrative:

I was approaching dab from the north en route to 44J, spruce creek, after dark around XA00 on dec/xa/99. After clearing jax, I began monitoring dab approach. Dab was extremely busy with requests for multiple practice approachs from many aircraft. The requests were by students as the call signs were collegiate, or others had instructions breaking in and correcting communications after the planes would not respond, causing the controller to repeatedly call and then rerte other planes on practice approachs. In general, there was considerable congestion and confusion. At 25 DME, I began trying to reach approach. There were no breaks in the radio traffic where I could get a request in/contact made. When I did get contact, I was told to wait. About 20 mi out, I had not been called back, so I called again. Again, I was told to wait and remain clear of class C. After 10 mins more (I timed it) I called again and was told to wait again. By now, I was frustrated and asked 'how many times do I have to wait?' I had to descend through dab to get to 44J. I received clearance to pass through dab with apologies from the controller on being so patient. I am reporting this for 2 reasons: 1) I feel en route traffic should have priority over students doing practice. 2) 3 days later, there was a midair collision of 2 student aircraft with instructors on board just outside the dab control area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT WAS UNABLE TO GET CLRNC TO ENTER DAB CLASS C WITHOUT EXCESSIVE DELAYS.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING DAB FROM THE N ENRTE TO 44J, SPRUCE CREEK, AFTER DARK AROUND XA00 ON DEC/XA/99. AFTER CLRING JAX, I BEGAN MONITORING DAB APCH. DAB WAS EXTREMELY BUSY WITH REQUESTS FOR MULTIPLE PRACTICE APCHS FROM MANY ACFT. THE REQUESTS WERE BY STUDENTS AS THE CALL SIGNS WERE COLLEGIATE, OR OTHERS HAD INSTRUCTIONS BREAKING IN AND CORRECTING COMS AFTER THE PLANES WOULD NOT RESPOND, CAUSING THE CTLR TO REPEATEDLY CALL AND THEN RERTE OTHER PLANES ON PRACTICE APCHS. IN GENERAL, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONGESTION AND CONFUSION. AT 25 DME, I BEGAN TRYING TO REACH APCH. THERE WERE NO BREAKS IN THE RADIO TFC WHERE I COULD GET A REQUEST IN/CONTACT MADE. WHEN I DID GET CONTACT, I WAS TOLD TO WAIT. ABOUT 20 MI OUT, I HAD NOT BEEN CALLED BACK, SO I CALLED AGAIN. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD TO WAIT AND REMAIN CLR OF CLASS C. AFTER 10 MINS MORE (I TIMED IT) I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO WAIT AGAIN. BY NOW, I WAS FRUSTRATED AND ASKED 'HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO WAIT?' I HAD TO DSND THROUGH DAB TO GET TO 44J. I RECEIVED CLRNC TO PASS THROUGH DAB WITH APOLOGIES FROM THE CTLR ON BEING SO PATIENT. I AM RPTING THIS FOR 2 REASONS: 1) I FEEL ENRTE TFC SHOULD HAVE PRIORITY OVER STUDENTS DOING PRACTICE. 2) 3 DAYS LATER, THERE WAS A MIDAIR COLLISION OF 2 STUDENT ACFT WITH INSTRUCTORS ON BOARD JUST OUTSIDE THE DAB CTL AREA.

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.