Small aircraft X issued visual approach to dpa but wanted ILS approach..

Attributes
ACN	159826
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpa
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 103 flight time total : 1225 flight time type : 23
ASRS Report	159826
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Small aircraft X filed IFR flight plan luk direct dpa, with the intention of shooting the ILS at dpa. WX was VFR, but I always like filing IFR and utilizing the system, especially when I'm flying to unfamiliar sites. About 20 mi south of dpa I began receiving radar vectors from ord approach control. I was still on IFR flight plan, and I never cancelled my flight. At 1 point the controller said that I was 10 mi south of dpa and asked if I had the airport in sight. I replied, 'negative.' a few mins later the controller gave me a heading of 360 degrees and said the airport should be at 12 O'clock, 5 mi. The area is very flat and I thought I saw the airport, so I replied, 'we have airport in sight.' the controller asked me to contact the tower, and I did. But then the airport wasn't there, so I requested from tower vectors to set up for ILS. They asked me to contact departure control again. The departure controller was very irritated and arrogant and set me up inside the marker and asked me to contact the tower, so I did. This time I did have the airport in sight. The tower controller was more irritated because I didn't call 'em outside the marker, and asked me to give them a call on the ground, and on the ground I was also advised to phone the departure controller. Comments: if I wanted to fly VFR, I would have flown VFR saving myself time and being jerked around. But I preferred filing IFR because I'm unfamiliar with the area and to avoid ord TCA--but controllers on ground always expect us pilots to be perfect in spotting airports miles and miles away so they can relieve themselves from load work.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X ISSUED VISUAL APCH TO DPA BUT WANTED ILS APCH..

Narrative: SMA X FILED IFR FLT PLAN LUK DIRECT DPA, WITH THE INTENTION OF SHOOTING THE ILS AT DPA. WX WAS VFR, BUT I ALWAYS LIKE FILING IFR AND UTILIZING THE SYS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M FLYING TO UNFAMILIAR SITES. ABOUT 20 MI S OF DPA I BEGAN RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS FROM ORD APCH CTL. I WAS STILL ON IFR FLT PLAN, AND I NEVER CANCELLED MY FLT. AT 1 POINT THE CTLR SAID THAT I WAS 10 MI S OF DPA AND ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE.' A FEW MINS LATER THE CTLR GAVE ME A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND SAID THE ARPT SHOULD BE AT 12 O'CLOCK, 5 MI. THE AREA IS VERY FLAT AND I THOUGHT I SAW THE ARPT, SO I REPLIED, 'WE HAVE ARPT IN SIGHT.' THE CTLR ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE TWR, AND I DID. BUT THEN THE ARPT WASN'T THERE, SO I REQUESTED FROM TWR VECTORS TO SET UP FOR ILS. THEY ASKED ME TO CONTACT DEP CTL AGAIN. THE DEP CTLR WAS VERY IRRITATED AND ARROGANT AND SET ME UP INSIDE THE MARKER AND ASKED ME TO CONTACT THE TWR, SO I DID. THIS TIME I DID HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THE TWR CTLR WAS MORE IRRITATED BECAUSE I DIDN'T CALL 'EM OUTSIDE THE MARKER, AND ASKED ME TO GIVE THEM A CALL ON THE GND, AND ON THE GND I WAS ALSO ADVISED TO PHONE THE DEP CTLR. COMMENTS: IF I WANTED TO FLY VFR, I WOULD HAVE FLOWN VFR SAVING MYSELF TIME AND BEING JERKED AROUND. BUT I PREFERRED FILING IFR BECAUSE I'M UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND TO AVOID ORD TCA--BUT CTLRS ON GND ALWAYS EXPECT US PLTS TO BE PERFECT IN SPOTTING ARPTS MILES AND MILES AWAY SO THEY CAN RELIEVE THEMSELVES FROM LOAD WORK.

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.