Narrative:

Flight dfw to law. At that time of night law tower is closed. Fsi approach handles traffic. We were direct to the VOR (just south of airport), runway 35 in use. On about a 310 degree heading 10 mi from airport, controller asked if we had the airport in sight. Said yes. 'Cleared visibility approach runway 35.' proceeded direct to airport beacon just north of field. This put us on a dog-leg right base for runway 35. 'Change to advisory approved.' controller said for our information that another aircraft (faster than us) was to follow. 'Report on the ground.' aircraft behind us called us in sight and was told to follow. I felt the proper way to execute the landing was to overfly the airport and make left traffic for 35. While in the pattern, controller got upset because we didn't just make a right base or go straight in runway 35. Other pilot agreed and had to make a 270 degree turn to follow us. They made a right base runway 35 and landed behind us. I cancelled IFR on entering pattern. I was trying to comply with far part 91.89 (old far's) since the alternative was a right base at uncontrolled field. Should have told controller sooner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT MAKES AN OVERHEAD LEFT TRAFFIC APCH TO ARPT AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR A VISUAL ON AN IFR CLRNC. ACFT WAS 10 MILES SOUTH OF ARPT WHEN VISUAL APPROVED FOR 35.

Narrative: FLT DFW TO LAW. AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT LAW TWR IS CLOSED. FSI APCH HANDLES TFC. WE WERE DIRECT TO THE VOR (JUST S OF ARPT), RWY 35 IN USE. ON ABOUT A 310 DEG HDG 10 MI FROM ARPT, CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. SAID YES. 'CLRED VIS APCH RWY 35.' PROCEEDED DIRECT TO ARPT BEACON JUST N OF FIELD. THIS PUT US ON A DOG-LEG RIGHT BASE FOR RWY 35. 'CHANGE TO ADVISORY APPROVED.' CTLR SAID FOR OUR INFO THAT ANOTHER ACFT (FASTER THAN US) WAS TO FOLLOW. 'RPT ON THE GND.' ACFT BEHIND US CALLED US IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW. I FELT THE PROPER WAY TO EXECUTE THE LNDG WAS TO OVERFLY THE ARPT AND MAKE LEFT TFC FOR 35. WHILE IN THE PATTERN, CTLR GOT UPSET BECAUSE WE DIDN'T JUST MAKE A RIGHT BASE OR GO STRAIGHT IN RWY 35. OTHER PLT AGREED AND HAD TO MAKE A 270 DEG TURN TO FOLLOW US. THEY MADE A RIGHT BASE RWY 35 AND LANDED BEHIND US. I CANCELLED IFR ON ENTERING PATTERN. I WAS TRYING TO COMPLY WITH FAR PART 91.89 (OLD FAR'S) SINCE THE ALTERNATIVE WAS A RIGHT BASE AT UNCONTROLLED FIELD. SHOULD HAVE TOLD CTLR SOONER.

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.