AFTER CLOSING HIS IFR FLT PLAN WITH PCT CTLR; A PA28 PVT PLT STAYS IN A CLOSED PATTERN FOR 3 LNDGS; BUT LATER FORGOT TO ADVISE ATC THAT HIS PATTERN WORK WAS COMPLETED AT GAI; MD.
Synopsis
AFTER CLOSING HIS IFR FLT PLAN WITH PCT CTLR; A PA28 PVT PLT STAYS IN A CLOSED PATTERN FOR 3 LNDGS; BUT LATER FORGOT TO ADVISE ATC THAT HIS PATTERN WORK WAS COMPLETED AT GAI; MD.
Narrative
I WAS FLYING THE TRANSITION FOR THE MRB ILS RWY 26 APCH. THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT HE COULD NOT CLR ME FOR THE APCH UNTIL THE XPONDER ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. I WAS SOMEWHAT CONFUSED; BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH; BUT I BEGAN A R TURN BACK TO THE VOR. A FEW MINS LATER; AFTER I HAD COMPLETED MY TURN; THE CTLR CALLED BACK AND ASKED WHAT I WAS DOING. I REPLIED THAT I WAS RETURNING TO THE VOR; WITH THE INTENTION OF ENTERING THE HOLDING PATTERN. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A NEW XPONDER CODE; AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS; ADVISED US THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING OUR SIGNAL; AND THAT I WAS CLRED FOR THE MRB ILS RWY 26 APCH. AFTER XING THE VOR; I TURNED L TO INTERCEPT THE 49 DEG RADIAL FOR THE MRB TRANSITION AND STARTED THE APCH. I FLEW A TEARDROP ENTRY INTO THE HOLD AT BURGY; INTERCEPTED THE LOC; AND PROCEEDED TO FLY THE APCH. I MISREAD THE ALTIMETER AND BEGAN THE MISSED APCH AT 1000 FT ABOVE THE DECISION HT. I WAS THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO GAI; VIA DIRECT FDK; DIRECT. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WISHED TO DO PATTERN WORK AT GAI. HE REPLIED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CANCEL IFR; BUT I COULD THEN KEEP THE SAME XPONDER CODE AND COMPLETE MY PATTERN WORK. I CANCELLED IN THE AIR; AND PROCEEDED TO DO 3 FULL-STOP LNDGS AND 2 CIRCUITS AT GAI. I FINALLY SHUT DOWN. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE ARPT; I REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS REQUIRED TO ADVISE ATC THAT I HAD FINISHED MY PATTERN WORK. NOTAM 3/2126 REQUIRES VFR PLTS FLYING WITHIN THE WASHINGTON ADIZ TO CLOSE THEIR FLT PLAN AFTER LNDG. I HAD BEEN ON AN IFR FLT; BUT SINCE I HAD CANCELLED IFR AND PROCEEDED TO DO PATTERN WORK WITH THE SAME XPONDER CODE; I REASONED THAT I MIGHT THEN BE CONSIDERED TO BE ON A VFR ADIZ FLT PLAN. AFTER RETURNING HOME; I FINALLY CALLED FLT SVC. THE SPECIALIST ADVISED ME THAT MY CANCELLATION WASN'T NECESSARY; BUT SHE DIDN'T SEEM ENTIRELY CERTAIN. WHEN THINGS GO WRONG; ALBEIT AT NIGHT; WITH A SAFETY PLT; IT IS VERY EASY TO BE DISTR OR FLUSTERED AND MAKE MISTAKES. I STILL DON'T KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN ME AND THE CTLR REGARDING THE CLRNC FOR THE MRB ILS RWY 26 APCH. SOME OF THE PROCS REQUIRED BY NOTAM 3/2126 ARE NOT UNAMBIGUOUSLY DESCRIBED; AND CONFUSION CAN RESULT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.