Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan to poc; I was given a clearance for the VOR/GPS-a approach. The controller had not assigned previous vectors (likely because my en route course was very closely aligned with the final approach course of the VOR-a approach) but stated I was cleared for the approach. I assumed this to mean I was to conduct the full procedure beginning at the goldi intersection; tracking outbound on the 164 degree radial; conducting a procedure turn and coming back inbound on the approach. At this time I was at 5000 ft and had not been assigned a lower altitude; so in order to conduct the approach; a procedure turn or previously assigned lower altitude would have been necessary; which led me to assume I was expected to do the full procedure approach. After beginning my procedure turn; I was asked what I was doing and responded that I was tracking outbound as part of the full procedure approach. At this point it became clear that ATC did not want me to conduct the approach with the full procedure but instead expected me to continue inbound on the final approach course. I was then handed off to an approach controller who then gave me vectors onto the final approach course and I conducted the approach to a landing. In order to prevent a recurrence of such a situation; I could have been more familiar with instruments procedures at this airport (it was my first time at the airport); poc tower could have stated to expect 'vectors' to VOR-a approach rather just to expect VOR-a approach; or the approach controller could have specified that I was cleared for the approach without a procedure turn; as I was not given any headings (vectors) to fly by that controller before the approach clearance was issued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR SR22 INBOUND TO POC; VIA ROUTINGS; INITIATED A FULL VOR/GPS-A APCH PROC AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC; ATC QUESTIONED PROC USED.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO POC; I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC FOR THE VOR/GPS-A APCH. THE CTLR HAD NOT ASSIGNED PREVIOUS VECTORS (LIKELY BECAUSE MY ENRTE COURSE WAS VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE FINAL APCH COURSE OF THE VOR-A APCH) BUT STATED I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH. I ASSUMED THIS TO MEAN I WAS TO CONDUCT THE FULL PROC BEGINNING AT THE GOLDI INTXN; TRACKING OUTBOUND ON THE 164 DEG RADIAL; CONDUCTING A PROC TURN AND COMING BACK INBOUND ON THE APCH. AT THIS TIME I WAS AT 5000 FT AND HAD NOT BEEN ASSIGNED A LOWER ALT; SO IN ORDER TO CONDUCT THE APCH; A PROC TURN OR PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED LOWER ALT WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY; WHICH LED ME TO ASSUME I WAS EXPECTED TO DO THE FULL PROC APCH. AFTER BEGINNING MY PROC TURN; I WAS ASKED WHAT I WAS DOING AND RESPONDED THAT I WAS TRACKING OUTBOUND AS PART OF THE FULL PROC APCH. AT THIS POINT IT BECAME CLR THAT ATC DID NOT WANT ME TO CONDUCT THE APCH WITH THE FULL PROC BUT INSTEAD EXPECTED ME TO CONTINUE INBOUND ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO AN APCH CTLR WHO THEN GAVE ME VECTORS ONTO THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND I CONDUCTED THE APCH TO A LNDG. IN ORDER TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF SUCH A SITUATION; I COULD HAVE BEEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH INSTS PROCS AT THIS ARPT (IT WAS MY FIRST TIME AT THE ARPT); POC TWR COULD HAVE STATED TO EXPECT 'VECTORS' TO VOR-A APCH RATHER JUST TO EXPECT VOR-A APCH; OR THE APCH CTLR COULD HAVE SPECIFIED THAT I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH WITHOUT A PROC TURN; AS I WAS NOT GIVEN ANY HEADINGS (VECTORS) TO FLY BY THAT CTLR BEFORE THE APCH CLRNC WAS ISSUED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.