Pilot of lifeguard flight unhappy with ZAB controller vectoring and approach clearance.

Attributes
ACN	196489
Time
Date	199112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : svc
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	196489
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On IFR clearance, from onm to service direct, received call from center asking type of approach I was requesting. I responded localizer DME 26. Then received clearance to turn right (westerly), a vector around slower aircraft on V202 at 120. Received further clearance 15-30 seconds later to descend from 130 to 110. After 15-30 seconds as I recall, controller issued clearance, 'upon reaching 110, cleared for approach,' not specifying any particular approach. Upon receiving that clearance at approximately 11000 MSL, I noticed I was inside the 16 mi arc for the localizer DME 26 that I had requested. I was still on a vector away from the initial I had expected, and not heading toward the VOR. Turbulence and up and down drafts were present, and heading, altitude were as requested when I began turn east to intercept the 16 mi arc. Controller asked me my altitude, and I responded 110. Transponder had been squawked by previous controller as intermittent. In my opinion, a vector away from the initial for the faster, priority flight was improper for the descent. In addition, my turn towards the east took me towards the other aircraft, although he was 1000 ft above. A vector east of the other aircraft would have provided greater separation and diverging courses. Instead, any approach would have taken my aircraft toward the other. It's these kinds of setups that inhibit good ATC/pilot coordination and safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LIFEGUARD FLT UNHAPPY WITH ZAB CTLR VECTORING AND APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: ON IFR CLRNC, FROM ONM TO SVC DIRECT, RECEIVED CALL FROM CENTER ASKING TYPE OF APCH I WAS REQUESTING. I RESPONDED LOC DME 26. THEN RECEIVED CLRNC TO TURN R (WESTERLY), A VECTOR AROUND SLOWER ACFT ON V202 AT 120. RECEIVED FURTHER CLRNC 15-30 SECONDS LATER TO DSND FROM 130 TO 110. AFTER 15-30 SECONDS AS I RECALL, CTLR ISSUED CLRNC, 'UPON REACHING 110, CLRED FOR APCH,' NOT SPECIFYING ANY PARTICULAR APCH. UPON RECEIVING THAT CLRNC AT APPROX 11000 MSL, I NOTICED I WAS INSIDE THE 16 MI ARC FOR THE LOC DME 26 THAT I HAD REQUESTED. I WAS STILL ON A VECTOR AWAY FROM THE INITIAL I HAD EXPECTED, AND NOT HDG TOWARD THE VOR. TURB AND UP AND DOWN DRAFTS WERE PRESENT, AND HDG, ALT WERE AS REQUESTED WHEN I BEGAN TURN E TO INTERCEPT THE 16 MI ARC. CTLR ASKED ME MY ALT, AND I RESPONDED 110. TRANSPONDER HAD BEEN SQUAWKED BY PREVIOUS CTLR AS INTERMITTENT. IN MY OPINION, A VECTOR AWAY FROM THE INITIAL FOR THE FASTER, PRIORITY FLT WAS IMPROPER FOR THE DSCNT. IN ADDITION, MY TURN TOWARDS THE E TOOK ME TOWARDS THE OTHER ACFT, ALTHOUGH HE WAS 1000 FT ABOVE. A VECTOR E OF THE OTHER ACFT WOULD HAVE PROVIDED GREATER SEPARATION AND DIVERGING COURSES. INSTEAD, ANY APCH WOULD HAVE TAKEN MY ACFT TOWARD THE OTHER. IT'S THESE KINDS OF SETUPS THAT INHIBIT GOOD ATC/PLT COORD AND SAFETY.

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.