Non adherence to ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	92545
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cxy
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cxy
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 675 flight time type : 325
ASRS Report	92545
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

IFR flight plan filed from N67 (PA) to 58N, a field west/O an instrument approach. Visibility was 1.5-2 mi due to haze from hot summer WX. Alternate destination was N76 (about 3 mi away) that has an instrument approach. Controller was assuming that a visual approach was not possible (harrisburg, 126.45) and asked several times if I wished to proceed to N76 for an approach. Actually, by vectors, controller had my aircraft 3 mi south of the field, and he turned me toward the field and asked again about an approach to N76. At this point, I had 58N in sight and turned to make a visual approach and lose some altitude. At this point, the controller asked if I had turned and expressed surprise that I had. It was important to keep the field in sight with the low visibility. The landing and approach were made west/O incident, and the IFR flight plan was cancelled on final approach. The situation was confusing mainly because of the assumption on the part of the controller that the required visibility was not present. This information was presumably from the WX data at harrisburg. My error was in not reporting the field in sight earlier. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states this was a very humbling experience. Now knows he should have cancelled IFR before turning to destination airport. Frequency very busy and could not get through to ATC, so turned to keep field in sight. Extreme haze condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN FILED FROM N67 (PA) TO 58N, A FIELD W/O AN INSTRUMENT APCH. VIS WAS 1.5-2 MI DUE TO HAZE FROM HOT SUMMER WX. ALTERNATE DEST WAS N76 (ABOUT 3 MI AWAY) THAT HAS AN INSTRUMENT APCH. CTLR WAS ASSUMING THAT A VISUAL APCH WAS NOT POSSIBLE (HARRISBURG, 126.45) AND ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF I WISHED TO PROCEED TO N76 FOR AN APCH. ACTUALLY, BY VECTORS, CTLR HAD MY ACFT 3 MI S OF THE FIELD, AND HE TURNED ME TOWARD THE FIELD AND ASKED AGAIN ABOUT AN APCH TO N76. AT THIS POINT, I HAD 58N IN SIGHT AND TURNED TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH AND LOSE SOME ALT. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD TURNED AND EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT I HAD. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE FIELD IN SIGHT WITH THE LOW VIS. THE LNDG AND APCH WERE MADE W/O INCIDENT, AND THE IFR FLT PLAN WAS CANCELLED ON FINAL APCH. THE SITUATION WAS CONFUSING MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE ASSUMPTION ON THE PART OF THE CTLR THAT THE REQUIRED VIS WAS NOT PRESENT. THIS INFO WAS PRESUMABLY FROM THE WX DATA AT HARRISBURG. MY ERROR WAS IN NOT RPTING THE FIELD IN SIGHT EARLIER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THIS WAS A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE. NOW KNOWS HE SHOULD HAVE CANCELLED IFR BEFORE TURNING TO DEST ARPT. FREQ VERY BUSY AND COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO ATC, SO TURNED TO KEEP FIELD IN SIGHT. EXTREME HAZE CONDITION.

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.