Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 128; Flight Crew Total 7280; Flight Crew Type 2500
Workload; Time Pressure; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
While on a visual approach for Runway 9 at the San Diego International Airport (KSAN) I was on approximately a 2 mile visual approach and cleared to land. When I called for the last selection of flaps for landing; I got a flap in-op light. Not a real big deal just wasn't going to deal with it on a short final into KSAN so I decided to go around and then address the issue; run the appropriate check list; etc. But the go around turned out to be a bigger issue than the flap issue. As we told KSAN Tower that we were going around; the Tower Controller said fly the published missed Runway 9 followed very quickly by contact Departure. The departure frequency was somewhat cluttered at that time. I asked my co-pilot as soon as you can get a word in ask for a heading and altitude. Because as I understand it if I am on a visual approach to go around I should be issued a heading and an altitude; not to fly the published missed for a runway I did not fly an instrument approach for. The Approach Controller finally gave us a heading and then an altitude followed by roughly a 90 degree right turn and then a frequency change. Could not reach anybody on the frequency the Approach Controller gave us as we are soon coming up on the Mexican border. We immediately went back to the previous approach frequency and the controller had us turn immediately to a heading of 270. Then we got radar vectors for another visual approach for Runway 9. I took the opportunity on this downwind leg to deal with the flap in-op light; which reset itself. I wondered to myself when I was on the ground; why was the go around so hard and labor intensive? I spoke to the other pilot about the situation and we both agreed that we made the right decision to go around and not deal with the flap light on a short final visual approach. I made a phone call to the San Diego Tower and spoke to the Supervisor who did step up and said his controller was wrong and should have issued us a heading and altitude. I then called So Cal Approach and spoke to a gentleman. The reason I called both ATC agencies is because we were in limbo for a short time as to which heading and altitude to go to after going around on our visual approach from Runway 9. The reason I am writing this report is I am hoping everybody can learn from what happened to us. I could've busted a heading or altitude because I was told to fly a published missed at a crucial time when I just needed to fly a heading and altitude from the visual approach that I was going around from.
Pilot is told to fly published missed approach procedure while executing a go around from a visual approach. This along with a minor mechanical problem adds confusion for the pilot.