Departure controller at bna confuses one aircraft with another and accuses small aircraft pilot of v...

Attributes
ACN	152426
Time
Date	199007
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : m88
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna tower : tlh
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	152426
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departing cornelia fort airport on runway 4, I climbed to 1000' MSL for approximately 1-1 1/2 NM, then turned right to heading 090 degrees. During this time I called bna approach on 118.45 2 times with no answer. On the third attempt approach gave me a transponder code. During this time I was keeping outside the air traffic area and at approximately 500' AGL and outside approximately 1-2 NM. After flying east side of bna the controller called me and said that I just flew through the departure end of bna, and I was told to stay north of bna. At this time I advised the controller that I was never given instructions to remain north of bna and I was already east of the field before radio contact was established. I was approximately 4 NM east of bna the first time the controller advised radar contact and to maintain VFR below 3000' AGL. All during this time I was in uncontrolled airspace. Traffic was light and there was an abf on frequency. My aircraft # was def. I don't know if the controller had the 2 aircraft confused or what. There was a friend with me--also a pilot with pvr, INS and multi engine ratings. Between the 2 of us, we have a total 50 yrs flying experience. Neither him nor I heard specific instructions to remain north of the primary airport. Also there was no idle conversation taking place--it was a sterile cockpit. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter indicated that he is a pilot for a major air carrier. He said that he departed M88 VFR with the intention of picking up his IFR clearance while airborne. He climbed to 500' AGL, remaining in uncontrolled airspace, and called bna approach. Bna approach simply gave him a transponder code without waiting to hear his request. Controller was apparently confused about the actual position of the aircraft which leads the reporter to believe that the controller was confusing his aircraft with another. Only after the controller's admonition did the reporter have the opportunity to explain that he was not where the controller apparently thought he was, and that he was calling to obtain his IFR clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR AT BNA CONFUSES ONE ACFT WITH ANOTHER AND ACCUSES SMA PLT OF VIOLATING CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS AND ILLEGALLY PENETRATING THE BNA ARSA.

Narrative: DEPARTING CORNELIA FORT ARPT ON RWY 4, I CLBED TO 1000' MSL FOR APPROX 1-1 1/2 NM, THEN TURNED RIGHT TO HDG 090 DEGS. DURING THIS TIME I CALLED BNA APCH ON 118.45 2 TIMES WITH NO ANSWER. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT APCH GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE. DURING THIS TIME I WAS KEEPING OUTSIDE THE ATA AND AT APPROX 500' AGL AND OUTSIDE APPROX 1-2 NM. AFTER FLYING E SIDE OF BNA THE CTLR CALLED ME AND SAID THAT I JUST FLEW THROUGH THE DEP END OF BNA, AND I WAS TOLD TO STAY N OF BNA. AT THIS TIME I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WAS NEVER GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN N OF BNA AND I WAS ALREADY E OF THE FIELD BEFORE RADIO CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. I WAS APPROX 4 NM E OF BNA THE FIRST TIME THE CTLR ADVISED RADAR CONTACT AND TO MAINTAIN VFR BELOW 3000' AGL. ALL DURING THIS TIME I WAS IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE. TFC WAS LIGHT AND THERE WAS AN ABF ON FREQ. MY ACFT # WAS DEF. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CTLR HAD THE 2 ACFT CONFUSED OR WHAT. THERE WAS A FRIEND WITH ME--ALSO A PLT WITH PVR, INS AND MULTI ENG RATINGS. BTWN THE 2 OF US, WE HAVE A TOTAL 50 YRS FLYING EXPERIENCE. NEITHER HIM NOR I HEARD SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN N OF THE PRIMARY ARPT. ALSO THERE WAS NO IDLE CONVERSATION TAKING PLACE--IT WAS A STERILE COCKPIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR INDICATED THAT HE IS A PLT FOR A MAJOR ACR. HE SAID THAT HE DEPARTED M88 VFR WITH THE INTENTION OF PICKING UP HIS IFR CLRNC WHILE AIRBORNE. HE CLIMBED TO 500' AGL, REMAINING IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE, AND CALLED BNA APCH. BNA APCH SIMPLY GAVE HIM A XPONDER CODE WITHOUT WAITING TO HEAR HIS REQUEST. CTLR WAS APPARENTLY CONFUSED ABOUT THE ACTUAL POS OF THE ACFT WHICH LEADS THE RPTR TO BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR WAS CONFUSING HIS ACFT WITH ANOTHER. ONLY AFTER THE CTLR'S ADMONITION DID THE RPTR HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN THAT HE WAS NOT WHERE THE CTLR APPARENTLY THOUGHT HE WAS, AND THAT HE WAS CALLING TO OBTAIN HIS IFR CLRNC.

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.

Departure controller at bna confuses one aircraft with another and accuses small aircraft pilot of violating controller's instructions and illegally penetrating the bna arsa.