Confusion over assigned and authority/authorized altitude when established in the procedure turn of ...

Attributes
ACN	537879
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : txk.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tower : cvg.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	537879
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

15 NM west of txk VOR, I was cleared for the VOR runway 13 approach, circle to land runway 31, enter a 7 DME arc, maintain 3000 ft until established. As I reached 7.5 NM from the txk VOR and began my turn, ATC announced that they had 2 other aircraft inbound to txk and I would need to hold at the VOR. I copied down the hold instructions and read them back to ATC. At this point, I failed to dial the VOR obs to the inbound heading of 122 degrees. As a result, I failed to turn inbound. Instead, I continued around the DME arc. ATC then advised me to 'proceed inbound to the VOR now.' the other traffic had already completed their approach in the time that I took flying further around the DME arc. I turned the obs to obtain a 'to' indication. I realized that I had lost position awareness. I set the scale on my GPS map so that I could see the VOR and the airport. I realized my mistake and proceeded inbound to the VOR. After establishing my heading toward the VOR, ATC then provided a clearance. I read back the clearance. I flew to the VOR and executed the procedure turn. As I crossed the VOR, I began my descent from 3000 ft to the circle to land MDA of 820 ft. As I reached 2800 ft, ATC asked 'what is your altitude?' I responded '2800 ft.' at this point ATC repeated the clearance that I had already received. Only after I was on the ground did I begin to wonder, had I been cleared for the approach before I crossed the VOR inbound? I was sure that I had received that clearance. Did his clearance at that time mention a 3000 ft restr? I thought not, but I could not be entirely sure. Perhaps I read back the clearance to him too soon. I will do several items more carefully in the future. I neglected to set my VOR obs to the inbound heading because I was distraction by the hold instruction. This new instruction from ATC caught me in the middle of a task, and I failed to complete it properly. I must be especially vigilant when receiving approach clrncs to make note of any altitude restr, and to clarify if my understanding is that a prior altitude restr has been removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION OVER ASSIGNED AND AUTH ALT WHEN ESTABLISHED IN THE PROC TURN OF A VOR APCH.

Narrative: 15 NM W OF TXK VOR, I WAS CLRED FOR THE VOR RWY 13 APCH, CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 31, ENTER A 7 DME ARC, MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. AS I REACHED 7.5 NM FROM THE TXK VOR AND BEGAN MY TURN, ATC ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAD 2 OTHER ACFT INBOUND TO TXK AND I WOULD NEED TO HOLD AT THE VOR. I COPIED DOWN THE HOLD INSTRUCTIONS AND READ THEM BACK TO ATC. AT THIS POINT, I FAILED TO DIAL THE VOR OBS TO THE INBOUND HDG OF 122 DEGS. AS A RESULT, I FAILED TO TURN INBOUND. INSTEAD, I CONTINUED AROUND THE DME ARC. ATC THEN ADVISED ME TO 'PROCEED INBOUND TO THE VOR NOW.' THE OTHER TFC HAD ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR APCH IN THE TIME THAT I TOOK FLYING FURTHER AROUND THE DME ARC. I TURNED THE OBS TO OBTAIN A 'TO' INDICATION. I REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST POS AWARENESS. I SET THE SCALE ON MY GPS MAP SO THAT I COULD SEE THE VOR AND THE ARPT. I REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND PROCEEDED INBOUND TO THE VOR. AFTER ESTABLISHING MY HDG TOWARD THE VOR, ATC THEN PROVIDED A CLRNC. I READ BACK THE CLRNC. I FLEW TO THE VOR AND EXECUTED THE PROC TURN. AS I CROSSED THE VOR, I BEGAN MY DSCNT FROM 3000 FT TO THE CIRCLE TO LAND MDA OF 820 FT. AS I REACHED 2800 FT, ATC ASKED 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT?' I RESPONDED '2800 FT.' AT THIS POINT ATC REPEATED THE CLRNC THAT I HAD ALREADY RECEIVED. ONLY AFTER I WAS ON THE GND DID I BEGIN TO WONDER, HAD I BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH BEFORE I CROSSED THE VOR INBOUND? I WAS SURE THAT I HAD RECEIVED THAT CLRNC. DID HIS CLRNC AT THAT TIME MENTION A 3000 FT RESTR? I THOUGHT NOT, BUT I COULD NOT BE ENTIRELY SURE. PERHAPS I READ BACK THE CLRNC TO HIM TOO SOON. I WILL DO SEVERAL ITEMS MORE CAREFULLY IN THE FUTURE. I NEGLECTED TO SET MY VOR OBS TO THE INBOUND HDG BECAUSE I WAS DISTR BY THE HOLD INSTRUCTION. THIS NEW INSTRUCTION FROM ATC CAUGHT ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A TASK, AND I FAILED TO COMPLETE IT PROPERLY. I MUST BE ESPECIALLY VIGILANT WHEN RECEIVING APCH CLRNCS TO MAKE NOTE OF ANY ALT RESTR, AND TO CLARIFY IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A PRIOR ALT RESTR HAS BEEN REMOVED.

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.

Confusion over assigned and authority/authorized altitude when established in the procedure turn of a VOR approach.