Aircraft experiencing heater problem complains about ATC delay.

Attributes
ACN	128943
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	128943
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working combined east and west sectors and was extremely busy. Much more traffic than usual, especially overflts. I had approximately 10 aircraft on my frequency, 3 of which were practice approachs. Had just taken handoff from buffalo approach on small transport X landing roc descending to 5000'. Aircraft came on frequency, I issued altimeter and vector for ILS 22, aircraft requested runway 25. I reclred aircraft direct and altitude of 5000'. At this time I was talking to my data person re: coordination with the tower on a practice approach on several inbnds and at least 6 overflts. At the time I was also about to split the position with another controller. Small transport X requested lower--I cleared him to 4000'. Several aft calling at same time cutting each other out. Small transport X began saying something, but he did not complete the transmission. I was busy separating aircraft, then issued a heading of 120 degrees to him and cleared him to 3000' vector for visibility approach to runway 25. When aircraft was 10 mi southwest of airport pilot said his heater was broken and needed expeditious handling. I turned aircraft to airport and asked if he was declaring emergency. He replied yes. I turned aircraft to airport and told to report airport for visibility approach. He replied airport in sight. I cleared for approach at XA23Z (10 mins from initial contact). Aircraft flew 30 mi total. Pilot called on phone to complain about service. Says I did not provide service to him when heater failed. Buf did not tel me of heater failure. Did not know of problem until 10 mi from airport because of workload. Upon review of tape it was found that pilot had problem since leaving hamilton canada. Information was not passed on and pilot made no mention of problem on initial contact. Pilot assumed I knew of his problem already. In view of circumstances I was absolved of wrongdoing by 2 supervisors who reviewed tape and conversation with pilot on phone. Pilot assumed. Should ensure problem is well known by controller. Suggest heavy clothing including gloves in case of heater failure. Pilot was not delayed at all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EXPERIENCING HEATER PROBLEM COMPLAINS ABOUT ATC DELAY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING COMBINED E AND W SECTORS AND WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. MUCH MORE TFC THAN USUAL, ESPECIALLY OVERFLTS. I HAD APPROX 10 ACFT ON MY FREQ, 3 OF WHICH WERE PRACTICE APCHS. HAD JUST TAKEN HDOF FROM BUFFALO APCH ON SMT X LNDG ROC DSNDING TO 5000'. ACFT CAME ON FREQ, I ISSUED ALTIMETER AND VECTOR FOR ILS 22, ACFT REQUESTED RWY 25. I RECLRED ACFT DIRECT AND ALT OF 5000'. AT THIS TIME I WAS TALKING TO MY DATA PERSON RE: COORD WITH THE TWR ON A PRACTICE APCH ON SEVERAL INBNDS AND AT LEAST 6 OVERFLTS. AT THE TIME I WAS ALSO ABOUT TO SPLIT THE POS WITH ANOTHER CTLR. SMT X REQUESTED LOWER--I CLRED HIM TO 4000'. SEVERAL AFT CALLING AT SAME TIME CUTTING EACH OTHER OUT. SMT X BEGAN SAYING SOMETHING, BUT HE DID NOT COMPLETE THE XMISSION. I WAS BUSY SEPARATING ACFT, THEN ISSUED A HDG OF 120 DEGS TO HIM AND CLRED HIM TO 3000' VECTOR FOR VIS APCH TO RWY 25. WHEN ACFT WAS 10 MI SW OF ARPT PLT SAID HIS HEATER WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING. I TURNED ACFT TO ARPT AND ASKED IF HE WAS DECLARING EMER. HE REPLIED YES. I TURNED ACFT TO ARPT AND TOLD TO RPT ARPT FOR VIS APCH. HE REPLIED ARPT IN SIGHT. I CLRED FOR APCH AT XA23Z (10 MINS FROM INITIAL CONTACT). ACFT FLEW 30 MI TOTAL. PLT CALLED ON PHONE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT SVC. SAYS I DID NOT PROVIDE SVC TO HIM WHEN HEATER FAILED. BUF DID NOT TEL ME OF HEATER FAILURE. DID NOT KNOW OF PROB UNTIL 10 MI FROM ARPT BECAUSE OF WORKLOAD. UPON REVIEW OF TAPE IT WAS FOUND THAT PLT HAD PROB SINCE LEAVING HAMILTON CANADA. INFO WAS NOT PASSED ON AND PLT MADE NO MENTION OF PROB ON INITIAL CONTACT. PLT ASSUMED I KNEW OF HIS PROB ALREADY. IN VIEW OF CIRCUMSTANCES I WAS ABSOLVED OF WRONGDOING BY 2 SUPVRS WHO REVIEWED TAPE AND CONVERSATION WITH PLT ON PHONE. PLT ASSUMED. SHOULD ENSURE PROB IS WELL KNOWN BY CTLR. SUGGEST HEAVY CLOTHING INCLUDING GLOVES IN CASE OF HEATER FAILURE. PLT WAS NOT DELAYED AT ALL.

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.