Narrative:

I was working the radar associate position at csg for the west controller who had all 3 positions combined. I answered the landline from lsf tower, for who we provide approach control service. Lsf and csg control zone almost overlap as we are about 10 mi apart. Lsf was VFR and we were IFR. The controller at lsf said that mlt X was departing lsf VFR and wanted to land at csg. I advised the lsf controller that we were IFR and to request the pilot's intentions. The controller asked if he could just put him on our frequency so we could work it out. I advised him to relay to the helicopter to remain clear of the control zone and contact us. I also issued a squawk. I advised the radar controller of the situation. The helicopter called us and requested to land at csg. The radar controller advised him to remain clear of the control zone and advised him that csg was IFR. (Did not read him the WX or ask his intentions.) the pilot said, 'roger.' about 2 mins passed and the pilot again advised that he needed to land at csg to pick up passenger. Again he was advised that control zone was IFR and to remain clear. Pilot again responded with, 'roger.' the radar controller looked at me and made a comment to the effect that if the pilot didn't know enough to request a SVFR clearance, he wasn't going to suggest it. The pilot finally requested an IFR clearance to csg. I immediately called the tower on the landline to coordinate as the helicopter would have to cross the airport to get to the approach. As I was finishing the coordination, I heard the radar man issuing a SVFR clearance which I recoordinated with the tower. In a later discussion, I asked the radar man if the pilot had finally requested the SVFR clearance and he said that he had suggested it to the pilot in lieu of the IFR clearance. I had strenuously trained that controllers were not to suggest SVFR clrncs and that they must be specifically requested by the pilot. The assumption is apparently that if the pilot does not think to request the clearance, he may not be familiar enough to maintain SVFR conditions. Factors: pilot apparently did not get a WX briefing which would have indicated that the destination airport was IFR. Radar controller should have read the WX sequence and asked his intentions. The pilot may not have realized that minimums would have allowed the SVFR operation and asking his intentions may have prompted him indirectly that he had to make a decision.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR CTLR INITIATES A SVFR CLRNC TO MIL PLT IN LIEU OF AN IFR CLRNC CONTRARY TO THE FAA HANDBOOK.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR ASSOCIATE POS AT CSG FOR THE W CTLR WHO HAD ALL 3 POSITIONS COMBINED. I ANSWERED THE LANDLINE FROM LSF TWR, FOR WHO WE PROVIDE APCH CTL SVC. LSF AND CSG CTL ZONE ALMOST OVERLAP AS WE ARE ABOUT 10 MI APART. LSF WAS VFR AND WE WERE IFR. THE CTLR AT LSF SAID THAT MLT X WAS DEPARTING LSF VFR AND WANTED TO LAND AT CSG. I ADVISED THE LSF CTLR THAT WE WERE IFR AND TO REQUEST THE PLT'S INTENTIONS. THE CTLR ASKED IF HE COULD JUST PUT HIM ON OUR FREQ SO WE COULD WORK IT OUT. I ADVISED HIM TO RELAY TO THE HELI TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CTL ZONE AND CONTACT US. I ALSO ISSUED A SQUAWK. I ADVISED THE RADAR CTLR OF THE SITUATION. THE HELI CALLED US AND REQUESTED TO LAND AT CSG. THE RADAR CTLR ADVISED HIM TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CTL ZONE AND ADVISED HIM THAT CSG WAS IFR. (DID NOT READ HIM THE WX OR ASK HIS INTENTIONS.) THE PLT SAID, 'ROGER.' ABOUT 2 MINS PASSED AND THE PLT AGAIN ADVISED THAT HE NEEDED TO LAND AT CSG TO PICK UP PAX. AGAIN HE WAS ADVISED THAT CTL ZONE WAS IFR AND TO REMAIN CLR. PLT AGAIN RESPONDED WITH, 'ROGER.' THE RADAR CTLR LOOKED AT ME AND MADE A COMMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT IF THE PLT DIDN'T KNOW ENOUGH TO REQUEST A SVFR CLRNC, HE WASN'T GOING TO SUGGEST IT. THE PLT FINALLY REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC TO CSG. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TWR ON THE LANDLINE TO COORDINATE AS THE HELI WOULD HAVE TO CROSS THE ARPT TO GET TO THE APCH. AS I WAS FINISHING THE COORD, I HEARD THE RADAR MAN ISSUING A SVFR CLRNC WHICH I RECOORDINATED WITH THE TWR. IN A LATER DISCUSSION, I ASKED THE RADAR MAN IF THE PLT HAD FINALLY REQUESTED THE SVFR CLRNC AND HE SAID THAT HE HAD SUGGESTED IT TO THE PLT IN LIEU OF THE IFR CLRNC. I HAD STRENUOUSLY TRAINED THAT CTLRS WERE NOT TO SUGGEST SVFR CLRNCS AND THAT THEY MUST BE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE PLT. THE ASSUMPTION IS APPARENTLY THAT IF THE PLT DOES NOT THINK TO REQUEST THE CLRNC, HE MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN SVFR CONDITIONS. FACTORS: PLT APPARENTLY DID NOT GET A WX BRIEFING WHICH WOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT THE DEST ARPT WAS IFR. RADAR CTLR SHOULD HAVE READ THE WX SEQUENCE AND ASKED HIS INTENTIONS. THE PLT MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED THAT MINIMUMS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE SVFR OPERATION AND ASKING HIS INTENTIONS MAY HAVE PROMPTED HIM INDIRECTLY THAT HE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.