Small aircraft pilot reported requesting a practice ILS from approach control to terminate in a go-a...

Narrative:

I was conducting a practice approach under visual conditions; for the ILS Z runway 16R approach into reno/tahoe intl. I initially contacted norcal approach on 126.3 and asked for vectors to the approach. Approach asked for my intentions at the completion of the approach; and I told them that after I reached minimums I would make a low approach and proceed visually back to my departure airport. After vectors they cleared me for the approach; and told me to contact reno tower on 118.7 which I did. I established communications with the tower; and everything went fine on the practice approach. Upon reaching 200 feet minimums; I added power and proceeded to climb on runway heading. The tower then reprimanded me; telling me that next time I needed to tell them I was going to do a low approach - they apparently thought I was going to land. I replied and told them that I told approach control of my intentions; and I guessed they didn't pass that on to the tower. Rno tower had another VFR departure which they cleared for takeoff on a parallel runway; so I can understand their concern. My mistake was assuming tower knew my intentions; which they did not. I have been in other situations when I was unclear about which information is passed from approach control to the tower; and I am unsure as to how to know for sure. So in the future I will make sure to always inform the tower of my intentions even if I think they should already know.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Small aircraft pilot reported requesting a practice ILS from Approach Control to terminate in a go-around. The pilot's intentions were requested by Approach Control. At minimums the reporter went around and was admonished by the Tower for not informing them of the plan.

Narrative: I was conducting a practice approach under visual conditions; for the ILS Z RWY 16R approach into Reno/Tahoe Intl. I initially contacted NORCAL approach on 126.3 and asked for vectors to the approach. Approach asked for my intentions at the completion of the approach; and I told them that after I reached minimums I would make a low approach and proceed visually back to my departure airport. After vectors they cleared me for the approach; and told me to contact Reno Tower on 118.7 which I did. I established communications with the tower; and everything went fine on the practice approach. Upon reaching 200 feet minimums; I added power and proceeded to climb on runway heading. The tower then reprimanded me; telling me that next time I needed to tell them I was going to do a low approach - they apparently thought I was going to land. I replied and told them that I told approach control of my intentions; and I guessed they didn't pass that on to the tower. RNO tower had another VFR departure which they cleared for takeoff on a parallel runway; so I can understand their concern. My mistake was assuming tower knew my intentions; which they did not. I have been in other situations when I was unclear about which information is passed from approach control to the tower; and I am unsure as to how to know for sure. So in the future I will make sure to always inform the tower of my intentions even if I think they should already know.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1359547
Time
Date	201605
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	RNO.Airport
State Reference	NV
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Other ILS Z RWY 16R
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40 Flight Crew Total 8975 Flight Crew Type 1550
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Small aircraft pilot reported requesting a practice ILS from approach control to terminate in a go-around. The pilot's intentions were requested by approach control. At minimums the reporter went around and was admonished by the tower for not informing them of the plan.