Narrative:

I was flying IFR from lgb to cno. I accepted the NDB C approach into cno. Ont approach issued a vector 6 mi from swan lake, 'turn left heading 280 degrees, maintain 2500' MSL until established over FAF contact tower on 118.5, report swan lake NDB.' at this point I was established on the 257 degree bearing to swan lake NDB. I contacted cno tower and reported inbound on the NDB C approach. They (cno tower) told me to report swan lake. Upon reaching swan lake I contacted cno tower and reported, 'swan lake procedure turn outbnd.' cno tower responded by asking me if ont approach had instructed me to call cno tower. I responded affirmative and that ont approach had instructed me to call cno tower and report swan lake. At this point cno tower instructed me to call ont approach. I called onto approach and informed them procedure turn outbnd. Ont asked me who authority/authorized me to make the procedure turn. I informed ont that I was flying the procedure turn (race track pattern) as depicted on chart. Ont indicated that I needed authorization to fly that pattern. I apologized for any misunderstanding and requested the NDB C approach into cno with 1 turn in the racetrack pattern. This was approved and I continued the approach west/O incident and landed in chino. Ont requested that I call their facility. I talked to the controller at chino and he called ont approach. I also called ont approach and talked to the supervisor. I explained what happened and he seemed very interested in working things out west/O writing a violation. He was going to review the tapes my radio calls with ont approach and also with cno tower. I believe this occurred because of a # of factors: 1) I did not inform ont approach that I would like to fly the procedure turn. 2) cno tower controller was busy training a controller and had me call ont approach instead of saying the procedure turn was not authority/authorized continue inbound. (I did report that I was at swan lake and turning outbnd on the procedure turn.) 3) I had just finished reading an article in the april edition of 'IFR' magazine pinting out that the far and the aim are unclear about the procedure turn. Paragraph 371B-1 states that, 'no pilot may make a procedure turn unless, when he receives his final approach clearance, he so advises ATC and a clearance is received.' in 371B-3, however, it talks about the race track pattern specifically. It states, 'when holding pattern replaces the procedure turn, the standard entry and holding pattern must be followed except when radar vectoring is provided or when nopt is shown on the approach course.' it does not say it is not authority/authorized if being radar vectored, it just says it isn't required. I believe this is somewhat ambiguous. I would not have flown the race track pattern had I not read the article and investigated it for myself. As long as I reported procedure turn outbnd at swan lake I felt I was covered. I feel this could be prevented by changing aim 371B-3 to read like 371B-1--that a clearance must be received prior to making a procedure turn while being vectored on an approach with a race track pattern. I was 6 mi out when the last vector was given. I was still a ways from swan lake NDB. This account is being reported to the best of my knowledge exactly the way events actually occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INS TRAINING PLT MAKES UNAUTH PROC TURN ON NDB APCH.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IFR FROM LGB TO CNO. I ACCEPTED THE NDB C APCH INTO CNO. ONT APCH ISSUED A VECTOR 6 MI FROM SWAN LAKE, 'TURN LEFT HDG 280 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2500' MSL UNTIL ESTABLISHED OVER FAF CONTACT TWR ON 118.5, RPT SWAN LAKE NDB.' AT THIS POINT I WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE 257 DEG BEARING TO SWAN LAKE NDB. I CONTACTED CNO TWR AND RPTED INBND ON THE NDB C APCH. THEY (CNO TWR) TOLD ME TO RPT SWAN LAKE. UPON REACHING SWAN LAKE I CONTACTED CNO TWR AND RPTED, 'SWAN LAKE PROC TURN OUTBND.' CNO TWR RESPONDED BY ASKING ME IF ONT APCH HAD INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL CNO TWR. I RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE AND THAT ONT APCH HAD INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL CNO TWR AND RPT SWAN LAKE. AT THIS POINT CNO TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL ONT APCH. I CALLED ONTO APCH AND INFORMED THEM PROC TURN OUTBND. ONT ASKED ME WHO AUTH ME TO MAKE THE PROC TURN. I INFORMED ONT THAT I WAS FLYING THE PROC TURN (RACE TRACK PATTERN) AS DEPICTED ON CHART. ONT INDICATED THAT I NEEDED AUTHORIZATION TO FLY THAT PATTERN. I APOLOGIZED FOR ANY MISUNDERSTANDING AND REQUESTED THE NDB C APCH INTO CNO WITH 1 TURN IN THE RACETRACK PATTERN. THIS WAS APPROVED AND I CONTINUED THE APCH W/O INCIDENT AND LANDED IN CHINO. ONT REQUESTED THAT I CALL THEIR FAC. I TALKED TO THE CTLR AT CHINO AND HE CALLED ONT APCH. I ALSO CALLED ONT APCH AND TALKED TO THE SUPVR. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND HE SEEMED VERY INTERESTED IN WORKING THINGS OUT W/O WRITING A VIOLATION. HE WAS GOING TO REVIEW THE TAPES MY RADIO CALLS WITH ONT APCH AND ALSO WITH CNO TWR. I BELIEVE THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A # OF FACTORS: 1) I DID NOT INFORM ONT APCH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FLY THE PROC TURN. 2) CNO TWR CTLR WAS BUSY TRNING A CTLR AND HAD ME CALL ONT APCH INSTEAD OF SAYING THE PROC TURN WAS NOT AUTH CONTINUE INBND. (I DID RPT THAT I WAS AT SWAN LAKE AND TURNING OUTBND ON THE PROC TURN.) 3) I HAD JUST FINISHED READING AN ARTICLE IN THE APRIL EDITION OF 'IFR' MAGAZINE PINTING OUT THAT THE FAR AND THE AIM ARE UNCLEAR ABOUT THE PROC TURN. PARAGRAPH 371B-1 STATES THAT, 'NO PLT MAY MAKE A PROC TURN UNLESS, WHEN HE RECEIVES HIS FINAL APCH CLRNC, HE SO ADVISES ATC AND A CLRNC IS RECEIVED.' IN 371B-3, HOWEVER, IT TALKS ABOUT THE RACE TRACK PATTERN SPECIFICALLY. IT STATES, 'WHEN HOLDING PATTERN REPLACES THE PROC TURN, THE STANDARD ENTRY AND HOLDING PATTERN MUST BE FOLLOWED EXCEPT WHEN RADAR VECTORING IS PROVIDED OR WHEN NOPT IS SHOWN ON THE APCH COURSE.' IT DOES NOT SAY IT IS NOT AUTH IF BEING RADAR VECTORED, IT JUST SAYS IT ISN'T REQUIRED. I BELIEVE THIS IS SOMEWHAT AMBIGUOUS. I WOULD NOT HAVE FLOWN THE RACE TRACK PATTERN HAD I NOT READ THE ARTICLE AND INVESTIGATED IT FOR MYSELF. AS LONG AS I RPTED PROC TURN OUTBND AT SWAN LAKE I FELT I WAS COVERED. I FEEL THIS COULD BE PREVENTED BY CHANGING AIM 371B-3 TO READ LIKE 371B-1--THAT A CLRNC MUST BE RECEIVED PRIOR TO MAKING A PROC TURN WHILE BEING VECTORED ON AN APCH WITH A RACE TRACK PATTERN. I WAS 6 MI OUT WHEN THE LAST VECTOR WAS GIVEN. I WAS STILL A WAYS FROM SWAN LAKE NDB. THIS ACCOUNT IS BEING RPTED TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE EXACTLY THE WAY EVENTS ACTUALLY OCCURRED.

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.