Beechjet 400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 2861; Flight Crew Type 248
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
Last instruction from ATC was 'cleared direct to destination'. We were getting close to the airport and as we were a little bit high the Captain decided to go to the 5 mile fix from Runway 35 (we were visual). I said to him that it was a deviation from our clearance and that I was going to ask the Controller if we were authorized to do that. The Captain said that we were OK and that we didn't have to ask them. That it was an uncontrolled airport. As I was trying to explain to the Captain that we should advise ATC; the Controller came on the radio and asked us if we were going direct to the airport. I replied that we were on base to Runway 35. The Controller got very upset and asked us not to do that again as we were on an IFR flight plan. I agreed and the Captain proceeded direct to the airport. My conclusion is that yes; we were high (we even had to overfly the airport to land) but we should have advised ATC of our intentions regardless if we were on an uncontrolled airport and it was VFR weather. I needed to be more assertive and take action and let ATC know of our intentions.
While on an IFR clearance 'direct to' their airport of intended landing the Captain of a BE40 elected to alter course to position himself for a visual approach without ATC approval. He was taken to task initially by his First Officer and shortly after by ATC.