An small aircraft pilot had trouble entering nqx airspace.

Attributes
ACN	266704
Time
Date	199403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nqx airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nqx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 1093 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	266704
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

At about XA30, I and 2 passenger (both pilots) departed VFR for cudjoe key eyw departure instructed a right turn from runway 9 and turned us over to departure on 199.25. Departure, which is actually at nqx, gave us a squawk code nd instructions to 'remain 1 mi offshore and at or below 1000 ft.' we complied and were released from radar advisories as we approached cudjoe key. We spent about 45 mins at cudjoe photographing and started to return to key west, remaining at least 1 mi offshore and at 800 ft AGL. Began calling key west approach on 199.25 at about sugarloaf key. Controller was busy handling both military and civilian traffic. Continued calling and did a couple of 360 degree to keep clear of nqx airspace. Finally contacted controller and told him I was southeast of nqx, landing eyw. The reply was 'remain VFR.' no squawk, no vectors, no other instructions, nothing. A couple of mins later, he gave me instructions to 'turn 180 degree' and I complied. When I was about 5-6 mi offshore, the controller (I assume the same one) asked why I was there. I told him that about 45 min ago I passed there on the way to cudjoe and these were my instructions. Another controller came on the radio and said 'I was working then and gave no such instructions to anyone.' this was not true. Asked for my name and I gave it to him. He then gave me the instruction 'frequency change approved,' and he was gone. I called eyw tower and reported about 6 southeast landing eyw. I was told to enter right downwind and I was cleared to land. On the ground, I talked to an instructor at an FBO and she called nqx approach and talked to someone. She later said that they have had the same problems with some nqx controllers. They are very young, not really experienced, most are not pilots, etc. In this situation, I believe this controller was handling more traffic than he was capable of handling. He sounded extremely frustrated and agitated. For example, on my initial contact, I was told to 'remain VFR.' what does this mean? The only way I could have done otherwise would have been to have crashed into the ocean.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT HAD TROUBLE ENTERING NQX AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA30, I AND 2 PAX (BOTH PLTS) DEPARTED VFR FOR CUDJOE KEY EYW DEP INSTRUCTED A R TURN FROM RWY 9 AND TURNED US OVER TO DEP ON 199.25. DEP, WHICH IS ACTUALLY AT NQX, GAVE US A SQUAWK CODE ND INSTRUCTIONS TO 'REMAIN 1 MI OFFSHORE AND AT OR BELOW 1000 FT.' WE COMPLIED AND WERE RELEASED FROM RADAR ADVISORIES AS WE APCHED CUDJOE KEY. WE SPENT ABOUT 45 MINS AT CUDJOE PHOTOGRAPHING AND STARTED TO RETURN TO KEY WEST, REMAINING AT LEAST 1 MI OFFSHORE AND AT 800 FT AGL. BEGAN CALLING KEY WEST APCH ON 199.25 AT ABOUT SUGARLOAF KEY. CTLR WAS BUSY HANDLING BOTH MIL AND CIVILIAN TFC. CONTINUED CALLING AND DID A COUPLE OF 360 DEG TO KEEP CLR OF NQX AIRSPACE. FINALLY CONTACTED CTLR AND TOLD HIM I WAS SE OF NQX, LNDG EYW. THE REPLY WAS 'REMAIN VFR.' NO SQUAWK, NO VECTORS, NO OTHER INSTRUCTIONS, NOTHING. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER, HE GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO 'TURN 180 DEG' AND I COMPLIED. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 5-6 MI OFFSHORE, THE CTLR (I ASSUME THE SAME ONE) ASKED WHY I WAS THERE. I TOLD HIM THAT ABOUT 45 MIN AGO I PASSED THERE ON THE WAY TO CUDJOE AND THESE WERE MY INSTRUCTIONS. ANOTHER CTLR CAME ON THE RADIO AND SAID 'I WAS WORKING THEN AND GAVE NO SUCH INSTRUCTIONS TO ANYONE.' THIS WAS NOT TRUE. ASKED FOR MY NAME AND I GAVE IT TO HIM. HE THEN GAVE ME THE INSTRUCTION 'FREQ CHANGE APPROVED,' AND HE WAS GONE. I CALLED EYW TWR AND RPTED ABOUT 6 SE LNDG EYW. I WAS TOLD TO ENTER R DOWNWIND AND I WAS CLRED TO LAND. ON THE GND, I TALKED TO AN INSTRUCTOR AT AN FBO AND SHE CALLED NQX APCH AND TALKED TO SOMEONE. SHE LATER SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBS WITH SOME NQX CTLRS. THEY ARE VERY YOUNG, NOT REALLY EXPERIENCED, MOST ARE NOT PLTS, ETC. IN THIS SIT, I BELIEVE THIS CTLR WAS HANDLING MORE TFC THAN HE WAS CAPABLE OF HANDLING. HE SOUNDED EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND AGITATED. FOR EXAMPLE, ON MY INITIAL CONTACT, I WAS TOLD TO 'REMAIN VFR.' WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THE ONLY WAY I COULD HAVE DONE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN TO HAVE CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN.

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.