Requested and received a cruise clearance. Descended as neared destination airport. Charged with alt...

Attributes
ACN	110462
Time
Date	198905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 13wi
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2600 msl bound upper : 2900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 525 flight time type : 18
ASRS Report	110462
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other other

Narrative:

Clearance issued by center: cleared 13WI airport (no IAP), cruise 2900'. In preparation for landing in IFR condition descent was made from altitude specified to 2300'. (1000' above highest obstacle within 5 NM.) at 2600' controller advised PIC of altitude deviation and of minimum IFR altitude of 2900'. Aim states under cruise clearance pilot may fly any altitude from minimum IFR altitude to altitude specified in clearance (cruise). Minimum IFR altitude is 1000' above highest obstacle (2000' mountain), published minimum arwy altitude (north/a), any other altitude set forth by the administrator. Suggestion: clarify aim term cruise clearance, publish minimum IFR altitudes on charts if other than 1000' (2000' mountain). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter requested and received cruise clearance. It was a non arwy route from menomonie to 13WI, a private airport with no instrument approach. Reporter has created quite a discussion among instrs and other pilots in his area re' the cruise clearance requirements. Local FAA personnel seem to agree with controller, but everyone else agrees with reporter interpretation of cruise clearance. Has not been notified of any follow up action. Reporter flies this route often and has been assigned altitudes anywhere from 2700 to 3000' at different times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CRUISE CLRNC. DESCENDED AS NEARED DESTINATION ARPT. CHARGED WITH ALT DEVIATION BY CTLR FOR CHANGING ALT.

Narrative: CLRNC ISSUED BY CENTER: CLRED 13WI ARPT (NO IAP), CRUISE 2900'. IN PREPARATION FOR LNDG IN IFR CONDITION DSCNT WAS MADE FROM ALT SPECIFIED TO 2300'. (1000' ABOVE HIGHEST OBSTACLE WITHIN 5 NM.) AT 2600' CTLR ADVISED PIC OF ALT DEVIATION AND OF MINIMUM IFR ALT OF 2900'. AIM STATES UNDER CRUISE CLRNC PLT MAY FLY ANY ALT FROM MINIMUM IFR ALT TO ALT SPECIFIED IN CLRNC (CRUISE). MINIMUM IFR ALT IS 1000' ABOVE HIGHEST OBSTACLE (2000' MOUNTAIN), PUBLISHED MINIMUM ARWY ALT (N/A), ANY OTHER ALT SET FORTH BY THE ADMINISTRATOR. SUGGESTION: CLARIFY AIM TERM CRUISE CLRNC, PUBLISH MINIMUM IFR ALTS ON CHARTS IF OTHER THAN 1000' (2000' MOUNTAIN). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CRUISE CLRNC. IT WAS A NON ARWY ROUTE FROM MENOMONIE TO 13WI, A PVT ARPT WITH NO INSTRUMENT APCH. RPTR HAS CREATED QUITE A DISCUSSION AMONG INSTRS AND OTHER PLTS IN HIS AREA RE' THE CRUISE CLRNC REQUIREMENTS. LCL FAA PERSONNEL SEEM TO AGREE WITH CTLR, BUT EVERYONE ELSE AGREES WITH RPTR INTERP OF CRUISE CLRNC. HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY FOLLOW UP ACTION. RPTR FLIES THIS ROUTE OFTEN AND HAS BEEN ASSIGNED ALTS ANYWHERE FROM 2700 TO 3000' AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

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.

Requested and received a cruise clearance. Descended as neared destination airport. Charged with altitude deviation by controller for changing altitude.