Narrative:

There seems to be continuing confusion between pilots and ATC regarding the rules associated with the requirement to fly a hold pattern in lieu of a procedure turn; based on my personal experience and what I hear from other pilot colleagues. Per aim 5-4-9; 'the holding pattern must be followed; except when radar vectoring is provided.' in this particular situation; I was on a short 20 minute flight to dmw. After receiving several vectors for traffic flow; I was cleared direct to EMI; the IAF for the approach; when I was about 10 NM away from the VOR. The controller subsequently cleared me for the VOR runway 34 approach at dmw; and I proceeded to execute the hold in lieu of a procedure turn per the published procedure. While I was on the outbound leg of the hold; the controller told me that he 'did not clear me for the procedure turn;' and told me that he needed me to turn inbound right away. I immediately complied; and completed the approach. I believe I was executing the approach properly; per the guidance stated in the aim; but it was distracting and concerning when there seems to be a disconnect between what I as the pilot believes should be flown; and what the controller believes should be flown in terms of the approach. In my limited experience flying IFR; there seems to be a continued confusion between pilots and ATC regarding whether or not the hold in lieu of a procedure turn should be flown. This confusion is distracting to a pilot who must remain focused on flying a non-precision approach in IMC. In my opinion; this represents a potential safety issue and should be addressed in some manner. The guidance is straight-forward: if being vectored onto the final approach course; then no hold in lieu of a procedure turn is flown. If vectors are not being provided; and you are cleared direct to the IAF; then fly the entire approach as published.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter had been vectored to the west by approach prior to the clearance direct to EMI. He had been assigned and was at 3000 ft MSL. Reporter stated the approach controller was busy; seemed a bit harried and reacted vociferously when the approach wasn't flown straight in. Reporter stated specifically that the words 'straight in' were not part of the approach clearance. Further indication of the need for the course reversal/holding pattern to be flown was the lack of a clearance to descend to the FAF altitude (2900 ft MSL). Lacking such clearance; reporter felt the only means to descend below his last assigned altitude (3000 ft MSL) was to do so while within the confines of the holding pattern protected airspace. The reporter's understanding of the correct procedures involved was verified in discussions with a local FAA designated check airman.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C182 IS QUESTIONED BY APCH CTLR WHEN HE FLIES THE HOLDING PATTERN ENTRY VERSUS A STRAIGHT-IN VOR RWY 34 APCH TO DMW.

Narrative: THERE SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING CONFUSION BETWEEN PLTS AND ATC REGARDING THE RULES ASSOCIATED WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO FLY A HOLD PATTERN IN LIEU OF A PROC TURN; BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND WHAT I HEAR FROM OTHER PLT COLLEAGUES. PER AIM 5-4-9; 'THE HOLDING PATTERN MUST BE FOLLOWED; EXCEPT WHEN RADAR VECTORING IS PROVIDED.' IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION; I WAS ON A SHORT 20 MINUTE FLT TO DMW. AFTER RECEIVING SEVERAL VECTORS FOR TFC FLOW; I WAS CLEARED DIRECT TO EMI; THE IAF FOR THE APCH; WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 NM AWAY FROM THE VOR. THE CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED ME FOR THE VOR RWY 34 APCH AT DMW; AND I PROCEEDED TO EXECUTE THE HOLD IN LIEU OF A PROC TURN PER THE PUBLISHED PROC. WHILE I WAS ON THE OUTBOUND LEG OF THE HOLD; THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT HE 'DID NOT CLEAR ME FOR THE PROC TURN;' AND TOLD ME THAT HE NEEDED ME TO TURN INBOUND RIGHT AWAY. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED; AND COMPLETED THE APCH. I BELIEVE I WAS EXECUTING THE APCH PROPERLY; PER THE GUIDANCE STATED IN THE AIM; BUT IT WAS DISTRACTING AND CONCERNING WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT I AS THE PLT BELIEVES SHOULD BE FLOWN; AND WHAT THE CTLR BELIEVES SHOULD BE FLOWN IN TERMS OF THE APCH. IN MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE FLYING IFR; THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONTINUED CONFUSION BETWEEN PLTS AND ATC REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT THE HOLD IN LIEU OF A PROC TURN SHOULD BE FLOWN. THIS CONFUSION IS DISTRACTING TO A PLT WHO MUST REMAIN FOCUSED ON FLYING A NON-PRECISION APCH IN IMC. IN MY OPINION; THIS REPRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN SOME MANNER. THE GUIDANCE IS STRAIGHT-FORWARD: IF BEING VECTORED ONTO THE FINAL APCH COURSE; THEN NO HOLD IN LIEU OF A PROC TURN IS FLOWN. IF VECTORS ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED; AND YOU ARE CLEARED DIRECT TO THE IAF; THEN FLY THE ENTIRE APCH AS PUBLISHED.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAD BEEN VECTORED TO THE WEST BY APCH PRIOR TO THE CLRNC DIRECT TO EMI. HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED AND WAS AT 3000 FT MSL. RPTR STATED THE APCH CTLR WAS BUSY; SEEMED A BIT HARRIED AND REACTED VOCIFEROUSLY WHEN THE APCH WASN'T FLOWN STRAIGHT IN. RPTR STATED SPECIFICALLY THAT THE WORDS 'STRAIGHT IN' WERE NOT PART OF THE APCH CLRNC. FURTHER INDICATION OF THE NEED FOR THE COURSE REVERSAL/HOLDING PATTERN TO BE FLOWN WAS THE LACK OF A CLRNC TO DSND TO THE FAF ALT (2900 FT MSL). LACKING SUCH CLRNC; RPTR FELT THE ONLY MEANS TO DSND BELOW HIS LAST ASSIGNED ALT (3000 FT MSL) WAS TO DO SO WHILE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE HOLDING PATTERN PROTECTED AIRSPACE. THE RPTR'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CORRECT PROCS INVOLVED WAS VERIFIED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH A LOCAL FAA DESIGNATED CHK AIRMAN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.