<< >> NASA ASRS Report 243787, June 1993

Private pilot in small aircraft has pilot passenger take over controls and ignore ATC instructions. Reporter takes back the controls.

Attributes
ACN	243787
Time
Date	199306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 230 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	243787
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I am a private pilot sitting left seat flying my plane. In the right seat was a pilot who is a commercial multi engine rated pilot. I had 2-WAY radio communication with the bur arsa controller and we were just flying along at 6500 ft like we had been since we entered the los angeles basin. All of a sudden the controller said descend immediately. I went ahead and pulled the throttle to idle and dropped the gear to produce a 800 FPM descent. My passenger went ahead and picked up the gear and threw the throttle forward and took command of the plane in an attempt to outclb the jet approaching. I am not actually sure what he was thinking about but the controller came back and repeated what he had said the first time 'descend immediately' but this time with an angry tone. I reversed his action and followed the traffic controller's demands. We continued.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT IN SMA HAS PLT PAX TAKE OVER CTLS AND IGNORE ATC INSTRUCTIONS. RPTR TAKES BACK THE CTLS.

Narrative: I AM A PRIVATE PLT SITTING L SEAT FLYING MY PLANE. IN THE R SEAT WAS A PLT WHO IS A COMMERCIAL MULTI ENG RATED PLT. I HAD 2-WAY RADIO COM WITH THE BUR ARSA CTLR AND WE WERE JUST FLYING ALONG AT 6500 FT LIKE WE HAD BEEN SINCE WE ENTERED THE LOS ANGELES BASIN. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CTLR SAID DSND IMMEDIATELY. I WENT AHEAD AND PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND DROPPED THE GEAR TO PRODUCE A 800 FPM DSCNT. MY PAX WENT AHEAD AND PICKED UP THE GEAR AND THREW THE THROTTLE FORWARD AND TOOK COMMAND OF THE PLANE IN AN ATTEMPT TO OUTCLB THE JET APCHING. I AM NOT ACTUALLY SURE WHAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT BUT THE CTLR CAME BACK AND REPEATED WHAT HE HAD SAID THE FIRST TIME 'DSND IMMEDIATELY' BUT THIS TIME WITH AN ANGRY TONE. I REVERSED HIS ACTION AND FOLLOWED THE TFC CTLR'S DEMANDS. WE CONTINUED.

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.