Date: 201708
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: AVL.TRACON, NC
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: None
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class C AVL
ATC / advisory: TRACON AVL
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Private
Human factors: Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict
Detector: Person Flight Crew
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Contributing factors: Airport; Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I contacted Approach roughly 25 miles southwest of the airport. I was assigned a squawk code. Radar contact confirmation took longer than usual. Considering the large volume of traffic talking to Approach; that did not strike me as concerning. I was asked to ident; and radar contact was confirmed. I was given instructions to fly heading 030 for sequence. No further instructions from ATC were received; and I continued to fly heading 030 as instructed. This heading would eventually put me roughly NNW of the field. As I start getting close to the field; I start worrying that heading 030 would eventually make me cross the approach path to the runway. At this point I am still with Approach and I have not received any other instructions from ATC.At a point roughly 2 miles northwest of the field; my concern has grown enough that I make a call to Approach and ask the controller to verify that he still wants me to continue flying heading 030. At this point I am given instructions to turn left to heading 310. I acknowledge and begin my turn. A few seconds later; I was given instructions to turn right to heading 150. I acknowledged and began my turn to the right. I was then issued instructions to turn IMMEDIATELY to heading 150. I acknowledge and bank to the right as much as I deemed safe given my current airspeed. At this point; flying heading 150 had me intercepting the approach path for the runway; and I am 1-2 miles from the runway threshold.Approach had not turned me over to the Tower and I did not have a landing clearance; so I asked Approach to hand me over. Approach approved the frequency change; I contacted Tower and got a landing clearance. As I exited the runway; Tower issued me a statement to call Approach for a possible pilot deviation. After securing the airplane; I made the call to Approach. I briefly talked to the supervisor; who stated they were extremely busy at the moment and asked if he could call me back. After waiting for 2 hours without a callback; I decided to call Approach again. At this time; the supervisor stated that they were still very busy; and he had not had a chance to review the tapes. We agreed to talk either later that day or the following morning after he had a chance to review the tapes of the events. Before ending the call; I inquired why I was asked to call. The supervisor stated that an aircraft had to make a go-around. No other details were discussed at this time; and I agreed to call back the following morning. The following morning I placed a call to Approach. The supervisor stated that they were again very busy that morning; but he took a minute to briefly discuss the incident with me. He stated that; after reviewing the tapes; 'I was clean'.According to his review; it appeared that primary radar contact was lost after the initial contact was acknowledged. He stated that I 'popped up again' at the time that I was issued instructions to fly a different heading. The supervisor agreed that I was properly following the initial instructions I was given; and the conversation ended at that point.




Synopsis: GA pilot reported being issued an assigned heading and received no further instructions from ATC until they asked for instructions 2 miles from the airport.