Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 700; Flight Crew Type 500
Time Pressure; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Airspace Structure; Procedure
The pilot was flying the YUCKS.BASTS1 arrival into PWA and was being given altitude and heading vectors by OK City Approach Control. The controller had already instructed to expect the visual right base into Runway 17R. The conditions were completely VMC. The controller gave the clearance 'Cleared Direct Wiley Post.' So being within a few miles from the destination and having the destination airport in sight; and being in VMC; the pilot felt he had been handed off; even though rather informally; and so proceeded to make the heading change toward the runway as instructed and made the frequency change to the destination control tower. The pilot should have asked approach control for verification of the frequency change; but didn't. The control tower promptly informed the pilot that the frequency change should not have been made yet. The pilot offered to return to the approach control frequency but the tower controller said that was not necessary since he was already in communications with the approach controller. All parties were polite and respectful toward one another; but the fact that the issue came up was cause for concern to the pilot. In the future; the pilot will certainly stay on the current controller's frequency until told to change; even if it means busting Class D airspace.It should be noted that some controllers around the country conduct operations much less formally when Visual Meteorological Conditions prevail (such as reporting of crossing a fix); just as some control towers will informally control ground operations; not requiring a pilot to change frequencies to the ground frequency.
IFR pilot reported switching frequencies early while on a visual approach from Approach Control to the Tower.