Pilot of small transport made appropriate calls for VFR entry to uncontrolled airport. On ground was...

Attributes
ACN	156820
Time
Date	199009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o56
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	156820
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While making a visibility approach to gnoss field, in marin county, ca, I was observed by an FAA inspector. I had departed sjc VFR and proceeded direct to gnoss. My first radio call on the airport unicom frequency qas 10 mi southeast. Another call was made 5 mi southeast and another while overhead. Another aircraft reported 5 mi north at about the same time I passed over the field. I elected to turn downwind into right traffic for runway 31, (runway 31 at gnoss uses right traffic) not wishing to continue outbnd for a possible conflict with the traffic from the north. I continued to make calls on downwind, base and final, and landed and taxied to the ramp area. The inspector met me, idented himself and made a comment about 'a flashy entry to the traffic pattern.' he had neither a radio or a good idea of the traffic situation at the time of my approach. His method of putting a pilot on the immediate defensive does not contribute to air safety. Additionally, observing aircraft from the ground west/O even listening to radio communications between pilots is getting less than half the story. No mention was made of the fact that other traffic pattern entries are neither approved nor disapproved by the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT MADE APPROPRIATE CALLS FOR VFR ENTRY TO UNCTLED ARPT. ON GND WAS MET BY FAA INSPECTOR WHO MADE COMMENT ABOUT A FLASHY ENTRY PATTERN FOR LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE MAKING A VIS APCH TO GNOSS FIELD, IN MARIN COUNTY, CA, I WAS OBSERVED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR. I HAD DEPARTED SJC VFR AND PROCEEDED DIRECT TO GNOSS. MY FIRST RADIO CALL ON THE ARPT UNICOM FREQ QAS 10 MI SE. ANOTHER CALL WAS MADE 5 MI SE AND ANOTHER WHILE OVERHEAD. ANOTHER ACFT RPTED 5 MI N AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME I PASSED OVER THE FIELD. I ELECTED TO TURN DOWNWIND INTO R TFC FOR RWY 31, (RWY 31 AT GNOSS USES R TFC) NOT WISHING TO CONTINUE OUTBND FOR A POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH THE TFC FROM THE N. I CONTINUED TO MAKE CALLS ON DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL, AND LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE RAMP AREA. THE INSPECTOR MET ME, IDENTED HIMSELF AND MADE A COMMENT ABOUT 'A FLASHY ENTRY TO THE TFC PATTERN.' HE HAD NEITHER A RADIO OR A GOOD IDEA OF THE TFC SITUATION AT THE TIME OF MY APCH. HIS METHOD OF PUTTING A PLT ON THE IMMEDIATE DEFENSIVE DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO AIR SAFETY. ADDITIONALLY, OBSERVING ACFT FROM THE GND W/O EVEN LISTENING TO RADIO COMS BTWN PLTS IS GETTING LESS THAN HALF THE STORY. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE FACT THAT OTHER TFC PATTERN ENTRIES ARE NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED BY THE FAA.

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.

Pilot of small transport made appropriate calls for VFR entry to uncontrolled airport. On ground was met by FAA inspector who made comment about a flashy entry pattern for landing.