Air carrier ATC miscom.

Attributes
ACN	283614
Time
Date	199409
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	enroute airway : cle
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5100 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	283614
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The aircraft I was flying developed a bleed problem. I decided to remain close to the cle airport, burn off fuel to reach landing weight, land, and have maintenance look at the problem. I asked ATC for vectors back to the airport for landing. Then, I asked for a hold somewhere to burn off fuel in order to reach landing weight. I talked by radio to our maintenance control about the bleed problem. My copilot told ATC we had a bleed problem. ATC somehow thought we were declaring an emergency when neither of us was? When I got on the ground, the company wanted to know why I declared an emergency when I did not? To date, I am still not sure if ATC though I was declaring an emergency, if my copilot declared one, or what happened? That is the reason for this. This whole situation is just bad communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ATC MISCOM.

Narrative: THE ACFT I WAS FLYING DEVELOPED A BLEED PROB. I DECIDED TO REMAIN CLOSE TO THE CLE ARPT, BURN OFF FUEL TO REACH LNDG WT, LAND, AND HAVE MAINT LOOK AT THE PROB. I ASKED ATC FOR VECTORS BACK TO THE ARPT FOR LNDG. THEN, I ASKED FOR A HOLD SOMEWHERE TO BURN OFF FUEL IN ORDER TO REACH LNDG WT. I TALKED BY RADIO TO OUR MAINT CTL ABOUT THE BLEED PROB. MY COPLT TOLD ATC WE HAD A BLEED PROB. ATC SOMEHOW THOUGHT WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER WHEN NEITHER OF US WAS? WHEN I GOT ON THE GND, THE COMPANY WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DECLARED AN EMER WHEN I DID NOT? TO DATE, I AM STILL NOT SURE IF ATC THOUGH I WAS DECLARING AN EMER, IF MY COPLT DECLARED ONE, OR WHAT HAPPENED? THAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS. THIS WHOLE SIT IS JUST BAD COM.

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.