Narrative:

I was being vectored by mry approach and was establishing inbound to sames IAF. Approach called and told me I was 2 mi from sames and would be cleared for the approach as soon as the aircraft on the approach ahead of me reported back on frequency with their missed approach (they were a training flight out of san jose). Previous to intercepting the approach course inbound mry had issued me the current WX at salinas as 7' 20 mi. The controller asked if I could remain VFR until the other aircraft checked in. I remained at 3000' until reaching sames, and then started down. Just after passing sames the controller asked if I had heard the call made by the aircraft on the missed approach. I replied negative and the controller said that the preceding aircraft had descended to 520' and never saw the airport. He then gave me current WX as 400', 7 mi. I rogered for the information and continued. At this time there was a lot of chatter on the frequency. I did not specifically hear the controller tell me I was cleared nor did I hear him tell me to contact radio (salinas FSS) if he did. At 1.5 DME I told mry approach I was going to radio. I got no reply. At approximately 1.3 DME I came out of the clouds at 540' and made ground contact and continued to descend to 520' at 1.2 DME. I made contact with the field, and radioed salinas FSS that I had the field in sight and altitude I broke out at. At the time I spotted the field I was right of course approximately 700'. I continued on the left down and landed on runway 31. I feel that having 2 aircraft on the approach at the same time, with the second aircraft's clearance dependent on the first aircraft checking in is incorrect. I feel that approach should have given me current WX prior to my reaching sames and/or offered me one of the other approachs. When I hadn't heard the actual approach clearance or been told to contact radio I should have probably executed a missed approach and sorted things out with the controller. After my landing the FSS made no comment on the approach and after I departed and contacted mry again, they also made no comment as to whether this procedure was correct or not (however I did not ask).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PART 135 OPERATOR BEGAN APCH WHEN WX REPORTER BELOW MINIMUMS AND HAD NOT RECEIVED AN APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS BEING VECTORED BY MRY APCH AND WAS ESTABLISHING INBND TO SAMES IAF. APCH CALLED AND TOLD ME I WAS 2 MI FROM SAMES AND WOULD BE CLRED FOR THE APCH AS SOON AS THE ACFT ON THE APCH AHEAD OF ME RPTED BACK ON FREQ WITH THEIR MISSED APCH (THEY WERE A TRNING FLT OUT OF SAN JOSE). PREVIOUS TO INTERCEPTING THE APCH COURSE INBND MRY HAD ISSUED ME THE CURRENT WX AT SALINAS AS 7' 20 MI. THE CTLR ASKED IF I COULD REMAIN VFR UNTIL THE OTHER ACFT CHKED IN. I REMAINED AT 3000' UNTIL REACHING SAMES, AND THEN STARTED DOWN. JUST AFTER PASSING SAMES THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD HEARD THE CALL MADE BY THE ACFT ON THE MISSED APCH. I REPLIED NEGATIVE AND THE CTLR SAID THAT THE PRECEDING ACFT HAD DSNDED TO 520' AND NEVER SAW THE ARPT. HE THEN GAVE ME CURRENT WX AS 400', 7 MI. I ROGERED FOR THE INFO AND CONTINUED. AT THIS TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF CHATTER ON THE FREQ. I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY HEAR THE CTLR TELL ME I WAS CLRED NOR DID I HEAR HIM TELL ME TO CONTACT RADIO (SALINAS FSS) IF HE DID. AT 1.5 DME I TOLD MRY APCH I WAS GOING TO RADIO. I GOT NO REPLY. AT APPROX 1.3 DME I CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 540' AND MADE GND CONTACT AND CONTINUED TO DSND TO 520' AT 1.2 DME. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE FIELD, AND RADIOED SALINAS FSS THAT I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND ALT I BROKE OUT AT. AT THE TIME I SPOTTED THE FIELD I WAS RIGHT OF COURSE APPROX 700'. I CONTINUED ON THE LEFT DOWN AND LANDED ON RWY 31. I FEEL THAT HAVING 2 ACFT ON THE APCH AT THE SAME TIME, WITH THE SECOND ACFT'S CLRNC DEPENDENT ON THE FIRST ACFT CHKING IN IS INCORRECT. I FEEL THAT APCH SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME CURRENT WX PRIOR TO MY REACHING SAMES AND/OR OFFERED ME ONE OF THE OTHER APCHS. WHEN I HADN'T HEARD THE ACTUAL APCH CLRNC OR BEEN TOLD TO CONTACT RADIO I SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND SORTED THINGS OUT WITH THE CTLR. AFTER MY LNDG THE FSS MADE NO COMMENT ON THE APCH AND AFTER I DEPARTED AND CONTACTED MRY AGAIN, THEY ALSO MADE NO COMMENT AS TO WHETHER THIS PROC WAS CORRECT OR NOT (HOWEVER I DID NOT ASK).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.