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BE58 pilot on VOR-a approach became confused when the oqu tower controller issued a clearance for a straight-in approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 591545 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : oqu.airport |
| State Reference | RI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Weather Elements | other |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pvd.tracon tower : oqu.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Baron 58/58TC |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 3500 |
| ASRS Report | 591545 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : vor other controllera other controllerb other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
We were cleared for the VOR-a at oqu and were not vectored to the final approach course by providence approach. After being switched to quonset state tower, they cleared us straight-in approach to runway 16. We had not called the field in sight and there is no straight-in approach from the VOR-a. Obviously, confusion between providence approach and quonset tower caused the trouble. After landing and talking on the phone with both tower and radar, we were told the next aircraft inbound received the same treatment resulting in a similar problem. I think some of the problem lies with the joint civil military communication and the busy airspace of providence. The primary ILS was also shut down. No conflict occurred, but clarity in communication needs improvement. If the frequency wasn't so congested I likely would have requested a vector to the final approach course but that still wouldn't have allowed any straight-in maneuver to runway 16 from the VOR-a.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE58 PLT ON VOR-A APCH BECAME CONFUSED WHEN THE OQU TWR CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH.
Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VOR-A AT OQU AND WERE NOT VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE BY PROVIDENCE APCH. AFTER BEING SWITCHED TO QUONSET STATE TWR, THEY CLRED US STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 16. WE HAD NOT CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND THERE IS NO STRAIGHT-IN APCH FROM THE VOR-A. OBVIOUSLY, CONFUSION BTWN PROVIDENCE APCH AND QUONSET TWR CAUSED THE TROUBLE. AFTER LNDG AND TALKING ON THE PHONE WITH BOTH TWR AND RADAR, WE WERE TOLD THE NEXT ACFT INBOUND RECEIVED THE SAME TREATMENT RESULTING IN A SIMILAR PROB. I THINK SOME OF THE PROB LIES WITH THE JOINT CIVIL MIL COM AND THE BUSY AIRSPACE OF PROVIDENCE. THE PRIMARY ILS WAS ALSO SHUT DOWN. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED, BUT CLARITY IN COM NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. IF THE FREQ WASN'T SO CONGESTED I LIKELY WOULD HAVE REQUESTED A VECTOR TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE BUT THAT STILL WOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED ANY STRAIGHT-IN MANEUVER TO RWY 16 FROM THE VOR-A.
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.