Narrative:

While descending inbound to bfm and under the control of ZHU, was given clearance to proceed direct to bfm VOR, descend to 2000 ft MSL, cleared for ILS 32 approach to bfm. Approximately 25 NM northeast of brookly (bfm), ZHU told us to switch to bfm tower. Upon reporting to bfm tower and reporting the field in sight, bfm tower told us to report right base for a visual to runway 32 at bfm. At approximately 10 NM from bfm VOR, we started a slow left turn to parallel runway 32 and entered a right downwind for a visual approach and landing to runway 32 bfm. Level at 3000 ft MSL and abeam approach end of runway 32, we started turning base when bfm tower told us to contact ZHU. We switched back to ZHU who asked us where we were going. ZHU controller said we were too far east and too low. First officer executed a go around VFR and we switched back to tower who gave us a left downwind for a visual approach to runway 32. We landed with no further problems. Conclusion: first of all, I don't think we did anything wrong. Secondly, I believe it was inappropriate for ZHU to have us contact him while in the approach mode. This is a safety of flight situation. If ZHU had a problem with us, he should have given us a landline phone number.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A CARGO B727 ENTERED R DOWNWIND FOR LNDG AS INSTRUCTED BY TWR AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY XFERRED BACK TO ARTCC AND ASKED WHY THEY WERE LOW AND E OF COURSE.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INBOUND TO BFM AND UNDER THE CTL OF ZHU, WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO BFM VOR, DSND TO 2000 FT MSL, CLRED FOR ILS 32 APCH TO BFM. APPROX 25 NM NE OF BROOKLY (BFM), ZHU TOLD US TO SWITCH TO BFM TWR. UPON RPTING TO BFM TWR AND RPTING THE FIELD IN SIGHT, BFM TWR TOLD US TO RPT R BASE FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 32 AT BFM. AT APPROX 10 NM FROM BFM VOR, WE STARTED A SLOW L TURN TO PARALLEL RWY 32 AND ENTERED A R DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG TO RWY 32 BFM. LEVEL AT 3000 FT MSL AND ABEAM APCH END OF RWY 32, WE STARTED TURNING BASE WHEN BFM TWR TOLD US TO CONTACT ZHU. WE SWITCHED BACK TO ZHU WHO ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING. ZHU CTLR SAID WE WERE TOO FAR E AND TOO LOW. FO EXECUTED A GAR VFR AND WE SWITCHED BACK TO TWR WHO GAVE US A L DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32. WE LANDED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. CONCLUSION: FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK WE DID ANYTHING WRONG. SECONDLY, I BELIEVE IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE FOR ZHU TO HAVE US CONTACT HIM WHILE IN THE APCH MODE. THIS IS A SAFETY OF FLT SIT. IF ZHU HAD A PROB WITH US, HE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US A LANDLINE PHONE NUMBER.

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.