Narrative:

I was cleared for VOR 31 approach in marginal visibility conditions (3 mi) when I was advised a citation ii would now be ahead of me on a short approach. I was not given a handoff to tower. We passed the FAF and had the airport in sight. We descended visually from that point. The controller was busy with other traffic and we were never handed off, nor were we advised of the location of our traffic ahead. We were approximately on 2 mi final when the other citation, who I thought would have been on the ground a long time ago, was turning final right in front of us (approximately 1 mi). I realized that we were not on tower, so I switched over from the busy approach controller to tower who was also on the radio. We were slowing trying to provide spacing but still continuing. The citation ahead stopped on the runway and was advised by tower to make a 180 degree turn and taxi back, which basically stopped any attempts of clearing the runway for us to land. I called the tower and asked what he wanted me to do. I already had initiated a go around. He said 'go around' and 'contact approach' which we did. When we called approach, he told us to contact tower, as if he just realized that we never were handed off. I said again 'we are going around.' he said again 'contact tower' so we did. Tower said 'contact approach,' so I said 'just cancel my IFR and give VFR traffic back around.' he said 'ok' and we landed. I'm not sure who's at fault, but this sure was unorganized.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 FLC MISHANDLED BY APCH TWR CTLRS AT ACY.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR VOR 31 APCH IN MARGINAL VISIBILITY CONDITIONS (3 MI) WHEN I WAS ADVISED A CITATION II WOULD NOW BE AHEAD OF ME ON A SHORT APCH. I WAS NOT GIVEN A HDOF TO TWR. WE PASSED THE FAF AND HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE DSNDED VISUALLY FROM THAT POINT. THE CTLR WAS BUSY WITH OTHER TFC AND WE WERE NEVER HANDED OFF, NOR WERE WE ADVISED OF THE LOCATION OF OUR TFC AHEAD. WE WERE APPROX ON 2 MI FINAL WHEN THE OTHER CITATION, WHO I THOUGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE GND A LONG TIME AGO, WAS TURNING FINAL RIGHT IN FRONT OF US (APPROX 1 MI). I REALIZED THAT WE WERE NOT ON TWR, SO I SWITCHED OVER FROM THE BUSY APCH CTLR TO TWR WHO WAS ALSO ON THE RADIO. WE WERE SLOWING TRYING TO PROVIDE SPACING BUT STILL CONTINUING. THE CITATION AHEAD STOPPED ON THE RWY AND WAS ADVISED BY TWR TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXI BACK, WHICH BASICALLY STOPPED ANY ATTEMPTS OF CLRING THE RWY FOR US TO LAND. I CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED WHAT HE WANTED ME TO DO. I ALREADY HAD INITIATED A GAR. HE SAID 'GO AROUND' AND 'CONTACT APCH' WHICH WE DID. WHEN WE CALLED APCH, HE TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR, AS IF HE JUST REALIZED THAT WE NEVER WERE HANDED OFF. I SAID AGAIN 'WE ARE GOING AROUND.' HE SAID AGAIN 'CONTACT TWR' SO WE DID. TWR SAID 'CONTACT APCH,' SO I SAID 'JUST CANCEL MY IFR AND GIVE VFR TFC BACK AROUND.' HE SAID 'OK' AND WE LANDED. I'M NOT SURE WHO'S AT FAULT, BUT THIS SURE WAS UNORGANIZED.

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.