Helicopter flight crew destination was a heliport in downtown manhattan. When under lga approach con...

Attributes
ACN	338900
Time
Date	199606
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdr airport : jra
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lga
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	338900
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	338747
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While in level flight at 4000 ft on an IFR clearance (radar vectors hfd V229 bdr V475 lga direct jra) we were instructed to contact approach on 120.8. Upon initial contact (approximately 13 mi southwest bdr) I requested to 'cancel IFR, descent 1500 ft, direct kings point' (a VFR chkpoint). The controller replied with the lga WX (which would have required an SVFR clearance from the cba controller). I repeated my request and acknowledged that we had received ATIS information. The controller quickly retorted that ATIS information was not correct as lga was 800 ft overcast. This was erroneous as the ATIS information broadcast 800 ft overcast and was exactly what the controller had read over frequency. We initiated a descent as the controller announced the cancellation at 'XA05Z and to descend under VFR....' at this point the controller recognized our descent to 3700 ft and made a comment that I cannot recall, and was at least, unclr. We continued the descent to 1500 ft and were switched to lga cba (126.05) and received an SVFR clearance. The remainder of the flight proceeded without incident. I believe the controller was caught off guard by our cancellation request since lga was 800 ft overcast. The controller's acknowledgment was nonstandard and confusing and was further compounded by our descent as requested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI FLC DEST WAS A HELIPORT IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN. WHEN UNDER LGA APCH CTLR, FLC REQUESTED CANCELLATION OF IFR AND CTLR ADVISES THEM THAT THE LGA CEILING IS 800 FT. IFR WAS CANCELED AND FLC DSNDED FOR LNDG AT THE HELIPORT.

Narrative: WHILE IN LEVEL FLT AT 4000 FT ON AN IFR CLRNC (RADAR VECTORS HFD V229 BDR V475 LGA DIRECT JRA) WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT APCH ON 120.8. UPON INITIAL CONTACT (APPROX 13 MI SW BDR) I REQUESTED TO 'CANCEL IFR, DSCNT 1500 FT, DIRECT KINGS POINT' (A VFR CHKPOINT). THE CTLR REPLIED WITH THE LGA WX (WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED AN SVFR CLRNC FROM THE CBA CTLR). I REPEATED MY REQUEST AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE HAD RECEIVED ATIS INFO. THE CTLR QUICKLY RETORTED THAT ATIS INFO WAS NOT CORRECT AS LGA WAS 800 FT OVCST. THIS WAS ERRONEOUS AS THE ATIS INFO BROADCAST 800 FT OVCST AND WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLR HAD READ OVER FREQ. WE INITIATED A DSCNT AS THE CTLR ANNOUNCED THE CANCELLATION AT 'XA05Z AND TO DSND UNDER VFR....' AT THIS POINT THE CTLR RECOGNIZED OUR DSCNT TO 3700 FT AND MADE A COMMENT THAT I CANNOT RECALL, AND WAS AT LEAST, UNCLR. WE CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO 1500 FT AND WERE SWITCHED TO LGA CBA (126.05) AND RECEIVED AN SVFR CLRNC. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY OUR CANCELLATION REQUEST SINCE LGA WAS 800 FT OVCST. THE CTLR'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT WAS NONSTANDARD AND CONFUSING AND WAS FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY OUR DSCNT AS REQUESTED.

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.

Helicopter flight crew destination was a heliport in downtown manhattan. When under lga approach controller, flight crew requested cancellation of IFR and controller advises them that the lga ceiling is 800 ft. IFR was canceled and flight crew descended for landing at the heliport.