Narrative:

After departing ZZZ for xyz. We used ZZZ, XXX and xyz approach controls en route. Everything seemed to go normally until I came off the hospital in (7.5 NM) xyz. I called abc tower for SVFR clearance because their WX was 7000' overcast and 2 mi in fog. I informed them that I would be coming to 5 NM southwest and holding for clearance into the zone. I was informed to contact approach, so I did and informed them of my intentions. It took approach some time to find me and identify. They asked if I would be holding on the extended centerline, and I told them no, that I would be holding at my present position, about 200 degrees from the airport and 5 NM on LORAN at 1000'. At that time they rogered me and issued clearance into the zone. At 70' and 2 NM my calls to approach were unanswered, so I called the tower and told them I would circle at 2 NM for landing clearance, and they gave it to me. After landing I called the tower by phone (but was not requested to), and asked if that was normal procedure or what was I to do differently next time. They informed me they knew I was coming, but didn't realize I was in the zone, approach had not told them, which was sometimes the norm. This is bad procedure and you should be talking to tower at 5 NM inside the zone on SVFR. They also said there were no problems and appreciated the call for landing clearance because some people come in and land west/O talking to tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR SMA ENTERED ATA WITHOUT TWR KNOWLEDGE DURING IFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ZZZ FOR XYZ. WE USED ZZZ, XXX AND XYZ APCH CTLS ENRTE. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO GO NORMALLY UNTIL I CAME OFF THE HOSPITAL IN (7.5 NM) XYZ. I CALLED ABC TWR FOR SVFR CLRNC BECAUSE THEIR WX WAS 7000' OVCST AND 2 MI IN FOG. I INFORMED THEM THAT I WOULD BE COMING TO 5 NM SW AND HOLDING FOR CLRNC INTO THE ZONE. I WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT APCH, SO I DID AND INFORMED THEM OF MY INTENTIONS. IT TOOK APCH SOME TIME TO FIND ME AND IDENT. THEY ASKED IF I WOULD BE HOLDING ON THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE, AND I TOLD THEM NO, THAT I WOULD BE HOLDING AT MY PRESENT POS, ABOUT 200 DEGS FROM THE ARPT AND 5 NM ON LORAN AT 1000'. AT THAT TIME THEY ROGERED ME AND ISSUED CLRNC INTO THE ZONE. AT 70' AND 2 NM MY CALLS TO APCH WERE UNANSWERED, SO I CALLED THE TWR AND TOLD THEM I WOULD CIRCLE AT 2 NM FOR LNDG CLRNC, AND THEY GAVE IT TO ME. AFTER LNDG I CALLED THE TWR BY PHONE (BUT WAS NOT REQUESTED TO), AND ASKED IF THAT WAS NORMAL PROC OR WHAT WAS I TO DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME. THEY INFORMED ME THEY KNEW I WAS COMING, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS IN THE ZONE, APCH HAD NOT TOLD THEM, WHICH WAS SOMETIMES THE NORM. THIS IS BAD PROC AND YOU SHOULD BE TALKING TO TWR AT 5 NM INSIDE THE ZONE ON SVFR. THEY ALSO SAID THERE WERE NO PROBS AND APPRECIATED THE CALL FOR LNDG CLRNC BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE COME IN AND LAND W/O TALKING TO TWR.

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.