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Small transport cleared IFR direct to VOR from non tower field. Flies downwind pattern encounters opposite direction traffic on approach to iad.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 194642 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199111 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hef |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iad |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1100 |
| ASRS Report | 194642 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
A departure clearance was received on the ground at manassas airport, va, prior to takeoff. We were instructed to climb to 3000 ft and proceed direct to csn VOR which is southwest of manassas. Runways 34L and 34R were in use and there was traffic in both patterns. Runway 34R is a right hand traffic pattern. We contacted dulles departure and reported 'ready for departure runway 34R.' we were released for takeoff and as we lined up I requested a heading after departure. I was told to 'proceed direct to csn VOR.' we departed and climbed in the right hand pattern to 3000 ft and proceeded direct to csn VOR. Approaching 3000 ft I noticed an airline jet off my left wing, opposite direction about 1 1/2-2 mi away (hard to estimate the distance, it could have been more). No evasive action was required, but min separation standards may have been breached. The dulles departure controller asked us if we had seen the other aircraft and the copilot replied 'affirmative.' the controller then suggested that our method of departure was 'not a good idea as I have to maintain separation with the inbound traffic to dulles.' he then told us we should have proceeded runway heading until clear of the traffic area at manassas and then turned southwest towards csn VOR. The clearance, as we were given it, left it up to us to decide on our method of exit from the traffic pattern and I presumed that our right downwind departure would be acceptable, taking into consideration the traffic in the pattern on the parallel runway and an approaching VFR aircraft from the northwest. I believe that the controller should have made it absolutely clear before departure how he wanted us to exit the manassas traffic pattern, if he considered a right downwind departure inappropriate. (As I previously stated, we did request a heading and were simply told to 'proceed direct to csn VOR.). Clrncs need to be clear and unambiguous especially if any ambiguity can lead to a possible traffic conflict.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT CLRED IFR DIRECT TO VOR FROM NON TWR FIELD. FLIES DOWNWIND PATTERN ENCOUNTERS OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC ON APCH TO IAD.
Narrative: A DEP CLRNC WAS RECEIVED ON THE GND AT MANASSAS ARPT, VA, PRIOR TO TKOF. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 3000 FT AND PROCEED DIRECT TO CSN VOR WHICH IS SW OF MANASSAS. RWYS 34L AND 34R WERE IN USE AND THERE WAS TFC IN BOTH PATTERNS. RWY 34R IS A R HAND TFC PATTERN. WE CONTACTED DULLES DEP AND RPTED 'READY FOR DEP RWY 34R.' WE WERE RELEASED FOR TKOF AND AS WE LINED UP I REQUESTED A HDG AFTER DEP. I WAS TOLD TO 'PROCEED DIRECT TO CSN VOR.' WE DEPARTED AND CLBED IN THE R HAND PATTERN TO 3000 FT AND PROCEEDED DIRECT TO CSN VOR. APCHING 3000 FT I NOTICED AN AIRLINE JET OFF MY L WING, OPPOSITE DIRECTION ABOUT 1 1/2-2 MI AWAY (HARD TO ESTIMATE THE DISTANCE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE). NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED, BUT MIN SEPARATION STANDARDS MAY HAVE BEEN BREACHED. THE DULLES DEP CTLR ASKED US IF WE HAD SEEN THE OTHER ACFT AND THE COPLT REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' THE CTLR THEN SUGGESTED THAT OUR METHOD OF DEP WAS 'NOT A GOOD IDEA AS I HAVE TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION WITH THE INBOUND TFC TO DULLES.' HE THEN TOLD US WE SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED RWY HDG UNTIL CLR OF THE TFC AREA AT MANASSAS AND THEN TURNED SW TOWARDS CSN VOR. THE CLRNC, AS WE WERE GIVEN IT, LEFT IT UP TO US TO DECIDE ON OUR METHOD OF EXIT FROM THE TFC PATTERN AND I PRESUMED THAT OUR R DOWNWIND DEP WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE TFC IN THE PATTERN ON THE PARALLEL RWY AND AN APCHING VFR ACFT FROM THE NW. I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE MADE IT ABSOLUTELY CLR BEFORE DEP HOW HE WANTED US TO EXIT THE MANASSAS TFC PATTERN, IF HE CONSIDERED A R DOWNWIND DEP INAPPROPRIATE. (AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED, WE DID REQUEST A HDG AND WERE SIMPLY TOLD TO 'PROCEED DIRECT TO CSN VOR.). CLRNCS NEED TO BE CLR AND UNAMBIGUOUS ESPECIALLY IF ANY AMBIGUITY CAN LEAD TO A POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT.
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.