The reporter was vectored to a final at 5000 ft for an ILS approach. The controller deemed the posit...

Attributes
ACN	335940
Time
Date	199605
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smx
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	335940
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In IMC I was on a radar vector for the ILS runway 12 smx. The downwind took me southwest of the final approach course. The controller turned me to 360 degrees for base and then to 090 degrees to intercept and requested I 'report established.' at this time he did not offer lower altitude nor did he alert me to other traffic. As I had been 'slam dunked' on this approach several times before with a southwest downwind I assumed it had to do with R2516 to the southwest. The localizer started to center when I was only 2 mi from the OM and 3000 ft above GS intercept. When I reported established, it was in my mind I was cleared for the approach and started to descend. As I passed 4600 ft (approximately) the controller told me to turn right as I was 'too close in to make the approach from that position.' the controller never said anything about conflicting traffic. I told the controller I could make the approach from this position (7.2 approximately) but by the time he responded I realized it was too late and I was in too close. The controller then told me my assigned altitude 'is and was 5000 ft' and to turn right to reintercept. I immediately climbed to 5000 ft and turned right. At this time I told the controller I would be in the same position as before. It was at this time he told me of a traffic conflict, cleared me for the approach and told me of a possible pilot deviation. Although I clearly should not have descended from 5000 ft without verifying I was cleared for the approach (I thought I was) I feel the controller should have extended the downwind to provide more separation rather than hold me high, pass the traffic underneath and then try to 'slam dunk' me. I also feel the controller should have told me of the traffic conflict and why he was holding me at 5000 ft. It should have been clear to the controller long before this incident occurred that the approach would not work from that altitude with the traffic he had in front of me that he did not tell me about. Both the pilot and the controller cause this incident to develop because of miscom, a lack of information provided to the pilot and anticipation of controller action by the pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE RPTR WAS VECTORED TO A FINAL AT 5000 FT FOR AN ILS APCH. THE CTLR DEEMED THE POS TOO HIGH AND TOO CLOSE TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FROM ABOVE. THE CTLR WANTED TO RETURN THE PLT OUTBOUND FOR A VECTOR TO THE ILS AT A PROPER ALT AND DISTANCE. THE PLT STARTED TO DSND SAYING HE COULD MAKE IT. THE CTLR SAID HE WAS NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH AND RETURN TO 5000 FT, THE PLT HAD DEVIATED FROM HIS ASSIGNED ALT AND COMPROMISED SEPARATION FROM ANOTHER ACFT. THE PLT COMPLIED.

Narrative: IN IMC I WAS ON A RADAR VECTOR FOR THE ILS RWY 12 SMX. THE DOWNWIND TOOK ME SW OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE. THE CTLR TURNED ME TO 360 DEGS FOR BASE AND THEN TO 090 DEGS TO INTERCEPT AND REQUESTED I 'RPT ESTABLISHED.' AT THIS TIME HE DID NOT OFFER LOWER ALT NOR DID HE ALERT ME TO OTHER TFC. AS I HAD BEEN 'SLAM DUNKED' ON THIS APCH SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WITH A SW DOWNWIND I ASSUMED IT HAD TO DO WITH R2516 TO THE SW. THE LOC STARTED TO CTR WHEN I WAS ONLY 2 MI FROM THE OM AND 3000 FT ABOVE GS INTERCEPT. WHEN I RPTED ESTABLISHED, IT WAS IN MY MIND I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND STARTED TO DSND. AS I PASSED 4600 FT (APPROX) THE CTLR TOLD ME TO TURN R AS I WAS 'TOO CLOSE IN TO MAKE THE APCH FROM THAT POS.' THE CTLR NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT CONFLICTING TFC. I TOLD THE CTLR I COULD MAKE THE APCH FROM THIS POS (7.2 APPROX) BUT BY THE TIME HE RESPONDED I REALIZED IT WAS TOO LATE AND I WAS IN TOO CLOSE. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME MY ASSIGNED ALT 'IS AND WAS 5000 FT' AND TO TURN R TO REINTERCEPT. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 5000 FT AND TURNED R. AT THIS TIME I TOLD THE CTLR I WOULD BE IN THE SAME POS AS BEFORE. IT WAS AT THIS TIME HE TOLD ME OF A TFC CONFLICT, CLRED ME FOR THE APCH AND TOLD ME OF A POSSIBLE PLTDEV. ALTHOUGH I CLRLY SHOULD NOT HAVE DSNDED FROM 5000 FT WITHOUT VERIFYING I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH (I THOUGHT I WAS) I FEEL THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE EXTENDED THE DOWNWIND TO PROVIDE MORE SEPARATION RATHER THAN HOLD ME HIGH, PASS THE TFC UNDERNEATH AND THEN TRY TO 'SLAM DUNK' ME. I ALSO FEEL THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME OF THE TFC CONFLICT AND WHY HE WAS HOLDING ME AT 5000 FT. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLR TO THE CTLR LONG BEFORE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED THAT THE APCH WOULD NOT WORK FROM THAT ALT WITH THE TFC HE HAD IN FRONT OF ME THAT HE DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT. BOTH THE PLT AND THE CTLR CAUSE THIS INCIDENT TO DEVELOP BECAUSE OF MISCOM, A LACK OF INFO PROVIDED TO THE PLT AND ANTICIPATION OF CTLR ACTION BY THE PLT.

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.