Narrative:

Departing sts I asked ZOA for an IFR clearance to oak for runway 29. The controller issued an altitude of 5000' direct oak. When he handed me off to bay he told me to descend to 2000', cross oak mid-field 27L 29 on request. The flight conditions were 2500' scattered, 10 mi visibility. At first this seemed ok. Then, just to be safe, I asked bay if he knew I was IFR and did not have oak in sight (about 10 DME from oak). He asked for an immediate climb to 3200'. It was very obvious he did not now I was IFR. He then handed me off to a different controller who vectored me in for oak. This controller then wanted me to cancel IFR and proceed VFR to oak 29. I could not because at 3000' MSL my minimum cloud sep could not be maintained. This went on for several mins of him asking if I could see oak, and if so, cancel. I believe what the controller wanted was a contact approach. He set me up for a perfect base entry, however company specifications do not allow me to conduct them, hence his persistence in pushing for me to cancel was unsuccessful. After another couple of mins I could descend VFR and was handed off to tower for a visibility to 29.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER COMPLAINS THAT ATC FORGOT HE WAS IFR AND DESCENDED HIM BELOW A SAFE ALT, AND ATTEMPTED TO PUSH HIM INTO CHANGING HIS IFR STATUS TO A VFR STATUS.

Narrative: DEPARTING STS I ASKED ZOA FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO OAK FOR RWY 29. THE CTLR ISSUED AN ALT OF 5000' DIRECT OAK. WHEN HE HANDED ME OFF TO BAY HE TOLD ME TO DSND TO 2000', CROSS OAK MID-FIELD 27L 29 ON REQUEST. THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE 2500' SCATTERED, 10 MI VISIBILITY. AT FIRST THIS SEEMED OK. THEN, JUST TO BE SAFE, I ASKED BAY IF HE KNEW I WAS IFR AND DID NOT HAVE OAK IN SIGHT (ABOUT 10 DME FROM OAK). HE ASKED FOR AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 3200'. IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS HE DID NOT NOW I WAS IFR. HE THEN HANDED ME OFF TO A DIFFERENT CTLR WHO VECTORED ME IN FOR OAK. THIS CTLR THEN WANTED ME TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED VFR TO OAK 29. I COULD NOT BECAUSE AT 3000' MSL MY MINIMUM CLOUD SEP COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL MINS OF HIM ASKING IF I COULD SEE OAK, AND IF SO, CANCEL. I BELIEVE WHAT THE CTLR WANTED WAS A CONTACT APCH. HE SET ME UP FOR A PERFECT BASE ENTRY, HOWEVER COMPANY SPECS DO NOT ALLOW ME TO CONDUCT THEM, HENCE HIS PERSISTENCE IN PUSHING FOR ME TO CANCEL WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER ANOTHER COUPLE OF MINS I COULD DSND VFR AND WAS HANDED OFF TO TWR FOR A VIS TO 29.

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.