Pilot on IFR flight to myf in an small aircraft complains of poor handling by ZLA and san, followed ...

Attributes
ACN	142686
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crq
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tracon : san tower : phf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : v23
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1050 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	142686
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I filed an instrument flight plan, van nuys to montgomery, san diego. Conditions at montgomery were marginal VFR. All was normal on climb out and cruise until I neared the northern sector of san diego approach, I had been monitored by bur, ont and coast departure with no transponder problems. Center kept giving me a slower airspeed, apparently san diego didn't have room for a turbo small aircraft. They slowed me to 120 KTS, then 110 KTS then requested 100 KTS. This is unsafe and harmful to my engine and turbocharger. When I requested an alternate route or altitude, I was told to do a 360. Then, suddenly, I was told they could no longer pick up my transponder squawk. I recycled, and tried turning it off, then on again. I was getting a reply indication, but san diego approach insisted they 'could not handle me and what were my intentions'. I cancelled IFR and landed at palomar. I had my transponder checked immediately at FBO. It is putting out over 100 watts, and showing the correct code. It also functioned normally on my return to long beach. My concerns: san diego simply did not want to bother with me, or san diego radar is grossly inferior. Incidentally, I had a CFI and four small children on board, whose mother was waiting on the ramp at montgomery field.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON IFR FLT TO MYF IN AN SMA COMPLAINS OF POOR HANDLING BY ZLA AND SAN, FOLLOWED BY SAN CLAIM THAT THE ACFT TRANSPONDER HAD STOPPED WORKING AND THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER PROVIDE SERVICE.

Narrative: I FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLT PLAN, VAN NUYS TO MONTGOMERY, SAN DIEGO. CONDITIONS AT MONTGOMERY WERE MARGINAL VFR. ALL WAS NORMAL ON CLB OUT AND CRUISE UNTIL I NEARED THE NORTHERN SECTOR OF SAN DIEGO APCH, I HAD BEEN MONITORED BY BUR, ONT AND COAST DEP WITH NO TRANSPONDER PROBS. CTR KEPT GIVING ME A SLOWER AIRSPD, APPARENTLY SAN DIEGO DIDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR A TURBO SMA. THEY SLOWED ME TO 120 KTS, THEN 110 KTS THEN REQUESTED 100 KTS. THIS IS UNSAFE AND HARMFUL TO MY ENG AND TURBOCHARGER. WHEN I REQUESTED AN ALTERNATE RTE OR ALT, I WAS TOLD TO DO A 360. THEN, SUDDENLY, I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NO LONGER PICK UP MY TRANSPONDER SQUAWK. I RECYCLED, AND TRIED TURNING IT OFF, THEN ON AGAIN. I WAS GETTING A REPLY INDICATION, BUT SAN DIEGO APCH INSISTED THEY 'COULD NOT HANDLE ME AND WHAT WERE MY INTENTIONS'. I CANCELLED IFR AND LANDED AT PALOMAR. I HAD MY TRANSPONDER CHKED IMMEDIATELY AT FBO. IT IS PUTTING OUT OVER 100 WATTS, AND SHOWING THE CORRECT CODE. IT ALSO FUNCTIONED NORMALLY ON MY RETURN TO LONG BEACH. MY CONCERNS: SAN DIEGO SIMPLY DID NOT WANT TO BOTHER WITH ME, OR SAN DIEGO RADAR IS GROSSLY INFERIOR. INCIDENTALLY, I HAD A CFI AND FOUR SMALL CHILDREN ON BOARD, WHOSE MOTHER WAS WAITING ON THE RAMP AT MONTGOMERY FIELD.

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.

Pilot on IFR flight to myf in an small aircraft complains of poor handling by ZLA and san, followed by san claim that the aircraft transponder had stopped working and that they could no longer provide service.