A PA28 pilot holds in several 360 degree turns in the wrong area after encountering a traffic delay on frequency with pct approach 6 mi northwest of hef, va.

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Attributes
ACN	598419
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hef.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon tower : hef.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : holding descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : hef.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : holding descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 49.6 flight time total : 2579 flight time type : 244
ASRS Report	598419
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

IFR flight plan, lns to hef. Approaching hef under potomac approach control, had already been slowed to about 110 KTS to avoid preceding aircraft into hef. Previous aircraft still in air above airport, so controller told me to enter right 360 degrees. After several right 360 degree turns, controller asked my intentions. I told him I was doing the right 360's he had instructed. He said no, I told you to go to hef and do right 360 degrees over the airport. I told him what I had heard, read back and done. He then cleared me for the visual approach and handed me off to tower. I do not believe the controller ever told me to circle above the airport. However, if he did in fact do that, he should have caught my 'incorrect' readback. Contributing factors: 1) busy controller made busier by ADIZ procedures for all VFR traffic. 2) I believe controller had problem handing off previous traffic to hef tower, because I heard tower apologize for delay caused by an intrusion of unauthorized 'children' into the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT HOLDS IN SEVERAL 360 DEG TURNS IN THE WRONG AREA AFTER ENCOUNTERING A TFC DELAY ON FREQ WITH PCT APCH 6 MI NW OF HEF, VA.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN, LNS TO HEF. APCHING HEF UNDER POTOMAC APCH CTL, HAD ALREADY BEEN SLOWED TO ABOUT 110 KTS TO AVOID PRECEDING ACFT INTO HEF. PREVIOUS ACFT STILL IN AIR ABOVE ARPT, SO CTLR TOLD ME TO ENTER R 360 DEGS. AFTER SEVERAL R 360 DEG TURNS, CTLR ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I TOLD HIM I WAS DOING THE R 360'S HE HAD INSTRUCTED. HE SAID NO, I TOLD YOU TO GO TO HEF AND DO R 360 DEGS OVER THE ARPT. I TOLD HIM WHAT I HAD HEARD, READ BACK AND DONE. HE THEN CLRED ME FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND HANDED ME OFF TO TWR. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CTLR EVER TOLD ME TO CIRCLE ABOVE THE ARPT. HOWEVER, IF HE DID IN FACT DO THAT, HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY 'INCORRECT' READBACK. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) BUSY CTLR MADE BUSIER BY ADIZ PROCS FOR ALL VFR TFC. 2) I BELIEVE CTLR HAD PROB HANDING OFF PREVIOUS TFC TO HEF TWR, BECAUSE I HEARD TWR APOLOGIZE FOR DELAY CAUSED BY AN INTRUSION OF UNAUTH 'CHILDREN' INTO THE TWR.

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.