Narrative:

Pdz approach handed me to ZSE about 2 mins out of my transition fix. We were between layers at 6000' MSL with ceiling at 7000' & top of lower layer at 4000'. ZSE: 'cleared for the transition, maintain 6000.' small aircraft: 'is cl transition, M6000.' ZSE: 'traffic 1-2 O'clock at 5000' (pause) when you have traffic you may continue the transition.' small aircraft: 'has the traffic.' small aircraft: 'starting descent for the transition.' ZSE: 'say altitude.' small aircraft: 'descending through 5300'.' ZSE: 'I told you to M6000.' small aircraft: 'sir, you gave me the transition after we had the traffic and it gives us 3800'.' ZSE: 'I told you to maintain 6000.' small aircraft: 'climbing back to 6000.' ZSE: 'is cleared for the approach at kelso (pause) cross the beacon at or above 3800'.' small aircraft: 'is cleared for the approach.' ZSE: 'I have a phone # for you to copy.' small aircraft: 'is on initial right now (pause) ok, give me the #. My approach was never stabilized. His timing for me to copy the phone # was very bad. We were shooting an ADF approach to minimums in IMC with rain and fog after a long trip and he made me take my mind off the approach at a very critical time. I can only hope this doesn't happen to someone with less experience than i--it could cause an accident. The above incident took place in a time span of about 4 mins. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated controller timing very poor asking to copy phone # when trying to establish himself on ADF approach in IMC situation. FSDO has made contact, heard tapes & agrees there was fault on part of both pilot and controller. Action will be warning letter for each person.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESCENT FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHEN CLEARED TO CONTINUE TRANSITION.

Narrative: PDZ APCH HANDED ME TO ZSE ABOUT 2 MINS OUT OF MY TRANSITION FIX. WE WERE BTWN LAYERS AT 6000' MSL WITH CEILING AT 7000' & TOP OF LOWER LAYER AT 4000'. ZSE: 'CLRED FOR THE TRANSITION, MAINTAIN 6000.' SMA: 'IS CL TRANSITION, M6000.' ZSE: 'TFC 1-2 O'CLOCK AT 5000' (PAUSE) WHEN YOU HAVE TFC YOU MAY CONTINUE THE TRANSITION.' SMA: 'HAS THE TFC.' SMA: 'STARTING DSCNT FOR THE TRANSITION.' ZSE: 'SAY ALT.' SMA: 'DSNDING THROUGH 5300'.' ZSE: 'I TOLD YOU TO M6000.' SMA: 'SIR, YOU GAVE ME THE TRANSITION AFTER WE HAD THE TFC AND IT GIVES US 3800'.' ZSE: 'I TOLD YOU TO MAINTAIN 6000.' SMA: 'CLBING BACK TO 6000.' ZSE: 'IS CLRED FOR THE APCH AT KELSO (PAUSE) CROSS THE BEACON AT OR ABOVE 3800'.' SMA: 'IS CLRED FOR THE APCH.' ZSE: 'I HAVE A PHONE # FOR YOU TO COPY.' SMA: 'IS ON INITIAL RIGHT NOW (PAUSE) OK, GIVE ME THE #. MY APCH WAS NEVER STABILIZED. HIS TIMING FOR ME TO COPY THE PHONE # WAS VERY BAD. WE WERE SHOOTING AN ADF APCH TO MINIMUMS IN IMC WITH RAIN AND FOG AFTER A LONG TRIP AND HE MADE ME TAKE MY MIND OFF THE APCH AT A VERY CRITICAL TIME. I CAN ONLY HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WITH LESS EXPERIENCE THAN I--IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE ABOVE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN A TIME SPAN OF ABOUT 4 MINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED CTLR TIMING VERY POOR ASKING TO COPY PHONE # WHEN TRYING TO ESTABLISH HIMSELF ON ADF APCH IN IMC SITUATION. FSDO HAS MADE CONTACT, HEARD TAPES & AGREES THERE WAS FAULT ON PART OF BOTH PLT AND CTLR. ACTION WILL BE WARNING LETTER FOR EACH PERSON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.