Ahn controller challenges PA28 pilot's reporting procedure when conducting an IFR approach.

Attributes
ACN	472370
Time
Date	200005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ahn.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc tower : ahn.tower
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : circling approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : ahn.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	472370
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed missed approach flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Center turned us (aircraft X) over to the tower just outside the FAF. When we checked on, the tower asked us to report bulldog. I saw the ADF needle swing and said we are at bulldog now. Center had cleared us for the runway 27 low approach, circle to land runway 9. We continued the approach and at the airport boundary we went missed approach and reported it. The tower controller said we had not reported bulldog and another aircraft (aircraft Y) had to turn to avoid us. The tower controller said he didn't understand we were at bulldog and since he didn't acknowledge the report, the report was not valid. He then told us to proceed VFR to grd. We asked for our filed altitude and reminded him we were IFR. He then gave us our filed altitude of 4000 ft and turned us over to ZTL. I talked to the controller when on the ground in greenville, sc, and he seemed to think we should have reported bulldog again and that we were incorrect to continue the approach that center had cleared us for. If he is correct and we don't continue the approach, where do we go? Missed approach? Hold? What if we had actually lost radio capability? I think he should have protected the approach airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AHN CTLR CHALLENGES PA28 PLT'S RPTING PROC WHEN CONDUCTING AN IFR APCH.

Narrative: CTR TURNED US (ACFT X) OVER TO THE TWR JUST OUTSIDE THE FAF. WHEN WE CHKED ON, THE TWR ASKED US TO RPT BULLDOG. I SAW THE ADF NEEDLE SWING AND SAID WE ARE AT BULLDOG NOW. CTR HAD CLRED US FOR THE RWY 27 LOW APCH, CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 9. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND AT THE ARPT BOUNDARY WE WENT MISSED APCH AND RPTED IT. THE TWR CTLR SAID WE HAD NOT RPTED BULLDOG AND ANOTHER ACFT (ACFT Y) HAD TO TURN TO AVOID US. THE TWR CTLR SAID HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WE WERE AT BULLDOG AND SINCE HE DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE RPT, THE RPT WAS NOT VALID. HE THEN TOLD US TO PROCEED VFR TO GRD. WE ASKED FOR OUR FILED ALT AND REMINDED HIM WE WERE IFR. HE THEN GAVE US OUR FILED ALT OF 4000 FT AND TURNED US OVER TO ZTL. I TALKED TO THE CTLR WHEN ON THE GND IN GREENVILLE, SC, AND HE SEEMED TO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE RPTED BULLDOG AGAIN AND THAT WE WERE INCORRECT TO CONTINUE THE APCH THAT CTR HAD CLRED US FOR. IF HE IS CORRECT AND WE DON'T CONTINUE THE APCH, WHERE DO WE GO? MISSED APCH? HOLD? WHAT IF WE HAD ACTUALLY LOST RADIO CAPABILITY? I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED THE APCH AIRSPACE.

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.