Narrative:

Approaching csg from the south, I was cleared for the descent from 8000 to 5000', then to 4000'. Then approach cleared me from 4000' to 3000, and shortly thereafter during my descent called, 'traffic 11 O'clock, head right 10 degrees.' I responded 'roger, negative contact, would you like me to slow?' the controller said, 'no, but if you can find that traffic, it will make it a lot easier on both of us.' we were in good visibility, but moderately turbulent conditions as I continued looking for the traffic and descending from 4000 to 3000'. When I found the traffic, I noted that I was approaching 2700' and pulled back up to 3000'. The controller said nothing, and I was never closer than 2-3 mi from the other aircraft. I take great pride in my flying and regret that I have to trouble you with this report. However, this is one of those instances in which the demands of single pilot IFR in visibility conditions cause one's attention to be divided thinly amongst many tasks, both within and outside the cockpit. Center's extra emphasis upon my spotting the traffic contributed to my missing the altitude a little, but my intent is not to fault the controller. My intent is to report that for the sake of safety I would rather have received additional vectors after reporting 'negative contact' than what amounted to a request to look harder. While getting my private license in summer '87, the instrument rating in 2/88, and since that time flying many hours IFR, I have nothing but praise for the controllers and FSS personnel with whom I've dealt. Several of them have become personal friends. It is regrettable that the FAA's automated 'snitch' program has made me begin to feel that ATC and I are adversaries. I know that the interest of safety will not be served if such feelings are allowed to persist. As a serious private pilot, how can I help?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON IFR PLAN ON DESCENT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: APCHING CSG FROM THE S, I WAS CLRED FOR THE DSCNT FROM 8000 TO 5000', THEN TO 4000'. THEN APCH CLRED ME FROM 4000' TO 3000, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER DURING MY DSCNT CALLED, 'TFC 11 O'CLOCK, HEAD RIGHT 10 DEGS.' I RESPONDED 'ROGER, NEGATIVE CONTACT, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SLOW?' THE CTLR SAID, 'NO, BUT IF YOU CAN FIND THAT TFC, IT WILL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER ON BOTH OF US.' WE WERE IN GOOD VIS, BUT MODERATELY TURBULENT CONDITIONS AS I CONTINUED LOOKING FOR THE TFC AND DSNDING FROM 4000 TO 3000'. WHEN I FOUND THE TFC, I NOTED THAT I WAS APCHING 2700' AND PULLED BACK UP TO 3000'. THE CTLR SAID NOTHING, AND I WAS NEVER CLOSER THAN 2-3 MI FROM THE OTHER ACFT. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN MY FLYING AND REGRET THAT I HAVE TO TROUBLE YOU WITH THIS RPT. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES IN WHICH THE DEMANDS OF SINGLE PLT IFR IN VIS CONDITIONS CAUSE ONE'S ATTN TO BE DIVIDED THINLY AMONGST MANY TASKS, BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT. CENTER'S EXTRA EMPHASIS UPON MY SPOTTING THE TFC CONTRIBUTED TO MY MISSING THE ALT A LITTLE, BUT MY INTENT IS NOT TO FAULT THE CTLR. MY INTENT IS TO RPT THAT FOR THE SAKE OF SAFETY I WOULD RATHER HAVE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL VECTORS AFTER RPTING 'NEGATIVE CONTACT' THAN WHAT AMOUNTED TO A REQUEST TO LOOK HARDER. WHILE GETTING MY PVT LICENSE IN SUMMER '87, THE INSTRUMENT RATING IN 2/88, AND SINCE THAT TIME FLYING MANY HRS IFR, I HAVE NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR THE CTLRS AND FSS PERSONNEL WITH WHOM I'VE DEALT. SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE BECOME PERSONAL FRIENDS. IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT THE FAA'S AUTOMATED 'SNITCH' PROGRAM HAS MADE ME BEGIN TO FEEL THAT ATC AND I ARE ADVERSARIES. I KNOW THAT THE INTEREST OF SAFETY WILL NOT BE SERVED IF SUCH FEELINGS ARE ALLOWED TO PERSIST. AS A SERIOUS PVT PLT, HOW CAN I HELP?

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.