BE36 pilot cleared for visual approach to pdk and changed to tower for sequence to runway. Pilot unable to establish contact with local controller turns onto final.

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Attributes
ACN	599294
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdk.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon tower : pdk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : traffic pattern arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : pdk.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 730 flight time type : 384
ASRS Report	599294
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : brite radar other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a right downwind approach to runway 2R or runway 2L at pdk. Approach control cleared me for visual approach runway 2. When I inquired whether that was for runway 2R or runway 2L, I was advised to work it out with the tower and was advised to change to tower frequency. I switched to tower, turned right base and made numerous attempts to contact tower and got no response. Still not knowing whether to use runway 2R or runway 2L, since there was a high wing airplane on short final to runway 24, I lined up for runway 2L which had a landing aircraft in front of me. (Still no reply from tower.) when it was obvious it was not safe to land, as I was crossing approach end of runway 2L, I reported to tower that I was going around, which was the first communication they acknowledged. (I never was cleared to land nor was I ever advised to break off the approach). During my go around, tower advised me to make a visual approach for runway 24, and we landed uneventfully. This was a very dangerous situation. Tower controller seemed overwhelmed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE36 PLT CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO PDK AND CHANGED TO TWR FOR SEQUENCE TO RWY. PLT UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH LCL CTLR TURNS ONTO FINAL.

Narrative: I WAS ON A R DOWNWIND APCH TO RWY 2R OR RWY 2L AT PDK. APCH CTL CLRED ME FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 2. WHEN I INQUIRED WHETHER THAT WAS FOR RWY 2R OR RWY 2L, I WAS ADVISED TO WORK IT OUT WITH THE TWR AND WAS ADVISED TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ. I SWITCHED TO TWR, TURNED R BASE AND MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT TWR AND GOT NO RESPONSE. STILL NOT KNOWING WHETHER TO USE RWY 2R OR RWY 2L, SINCE THERE WAS A HIGH WING AIRPLANE ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 24, I LINED UP FOR RWY 2L WHICH HAD A LNDG ACFT IN FRONT OF ME. (STILL NO REPLY FROM TWR.) WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS IT WAS NOT SAFE TO LAND, AS I WAS XING APCH END OF RWY 2L, I RPTED TO TWR THAT I WAS GOING AROUND, WHICH WAS THE FIRST COM THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. (I NEVER WAS CLRED TO LAND NOR WAS I EVER ADVISED TO BREAK OFF THE APCH). DURING MY GAR, TWR ADVISED ME TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 24, AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SIT. TWR CTLR SEEMED OVERWHELMED.

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.