Narrative:

IFR flight plan at 9000', out of solid IMC for a few moments. There was no traffic at all. I heard only 1 other plane in this sector. Suddenly I saw an small transport Y crossing left to right at 12 O'clock, 200' in front, 500' lower. Small aircraft: 'do you show my traffic?' center (late, irritated and embarrassed): 'affirmative.' small aircraft: 'why didn't you point it out to me?' center (now she's really unhappy): 'i wa on a landline and busy--besides, I'm not required to.' small aircraft: 'did it just now pop up, or have you been watching it for the past 5 mi or so?' center (not convincingly): 'I was aware of the traffic all along.' small aircraft: 'why didn't you point it out to me?' center (mad): 'I don't have to according to the regulations. He was at 8500' on a VFR flight plan.' 10 mins later destination was in sight at 15 mi. I waited another minute or so. Nobody on radio since our last chat. Waited another min; didn't want to embarrass her, so...small aircraft: 'I have the airport (now at about 5 mi) and would like pd to lower.' center: '(long pause) stand by; (long pause, flustered, she forgot me) you're cleared to 8000.' small aircraft: 'I have the airport in sight.' small aircraft: 'abc approach, small aircraft with you, information golf, out of 9 for 8000.' approach: 'who's calling, what's your call sign, where are you and say your intentions.' center had not handed me off. We got that straightened out, got me turned around, flew the long way back to airport, handed off to tower, no other traffic all day, land and taxiing in. Abc ground (politely): 'we've got a phone up here you can use direct to center.' so I did that. The supervisor came on, harsh, and pretended he didn't now what this was all about. I wasn't too happy because I hadn't done anything wrong (with the understanding that you can't fly a plane from here to there west/O doing something wrong) and realize full well I am going to get my wrist slapped at least, maybe worse. He launched into a long harangue that according to the regulations they don't have to tell me about other traffic. So what's going on here? They screw up about 3 times, and then both jump all over me and threaten me with 'repercussions,' and I hadn't done anything wrong! The FAA regulatory and enforcement actions are totally out of control, as are the FAA personnel, and I guess for that matter the FAA itself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT NOT HAPPY WITH ATC SERVICES.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN AT 9000', OUT OF SOLID IMC FOR A FEW MOMENTS. THERE WAS NO TFC AT ALL. I HEARD ONLY 1 OTHER PLANE IN THIS SECTOR. SUDDENLY I SAW AN SMT Y XING LEFT TO RIGHT AT 12 O'CLOCK, 200' IN FRONT, 500' LOWER. SMA: 'DO YOU SHOW MY TFC?' CENTER (LATE, IRRITATED AND EMBARRASSED): 'AFFIRMATIVE.' SMA: 'WHY DIDN'T YOU POINT IT OUT TO ME?' CENTER (NOW SHE'S REALLY UNHAPPY): 'i WA ON A LANDLINE AND BUSY--BESIDES, I'M NOT REQUIRED TO.' SMA: 'DID IT JUST NOW POP UP, OR HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING IT FOR THE PAST 5 MI OR SO?' CENTER (NOT CONVINCINGLY): 'I WAS AWARE OF THE TFC ALL ALONG.' SMA: 'WHY DIDN'T YOU POINT IT OUT TO ME?' CENTER (MAD): 'I DON'T HAVE TO ACCORDING TO THE REGS. HE WAS AT 8500' ON A VFR FLT PLAN.' 10 MINS LATER DEST WAS IN SIGHT AT 15 MI. I WAITED ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO. NOBODY ON RADIO SINCE OUR LAST CHAT. WAITED ANOTHER MIN; DIDN'T WANT TO EMBARRASS HER, SO...SMA: 'I HAVE THE ARPT (NOW AT ABOUT 5 MI) AND WOULD LIKE PD TO LOWER.' CENTER: '(LONG PAUSE) STAND BY; (LONG PAUSE, FLUSTERED, SHE FORGOT ME) YOU'RE CLRED TO 8000.' SMA: 'I HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT.' SMA: 'ABC APCH, SMA WITH YOU, INFO GOLF, OUT OF 9 FOR 8000.' APCH: 'WHO'S CALLING, WHAT'S YOUR CALL SIGN, WHERE ARE YOU AND SAY YOUR INTENTIONS.' CENTER HAD NOT HANDED ME OFF. WE GOT THAT STRAIGHTENED OUT, GOT ME TURNED AROUND, FLEW THE LONG WAY BACK TO ARPT, HANDED OFF TO TWR, NO OTHER TFC ALL DAY, LAND AND TAXIING IN. ABC GND (POLITELY): 'WE'VE GOT A PHONE UP HERE YOU CAN USE DIRECT TO CENTER.' SO I DID THAT. THE SUPVR CAME ON, HARSH, AND PRETENDED HE DIDN'T NOW WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT. I WASN'T TOO HAPPY BECAUSE I HADN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG (WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN'T FLY A PLANE FROM HERE TO THERE W/O DOING SOMETHING WRONG) AND REALIZE FULL WELL I AM GOING TO GET MY WRIST SLAPPED AT LEAST, MAYBE WORSE. HE LAUNCHED INTO A LONG HARANGUE THAT ACCORDING TO THE REGS THEY DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME ABOUT OTHER TFC. SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? THEY SCREW UP ABOUT 3 TIMES, AND THEN BOTH JUMP ALL OVER ME AND THREATEN ME WITH 'REPERCUSSIONS,' AND I HADN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG! THE FAA REGULATORY AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS ARE TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL, AS ARE THE FAA PERSONNEL, AND I GUESS FOR THAT MATTER THE FAA ITSELF.

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.