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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Unknown private aircraft with descent clearance and reporter pilot set up a 400 FPM descent. ARTCC radar controller requested at least 1000 FPM which maybe reporter did. Controller turned aircraft off course due to descent rate and reporter believes it was for punishment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 385250 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tys |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl tower : lch |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 40 |
| ASRS Report | 385250 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were given a descent clearance to 11000 ft from FL230. We began our descent checklist when the center controller asked our altitude. We confirmed 23000 ft descending to 11000 ft. Our VNAV showed a rate of 400 FPM to be appropriate for our descent to tys (140 mi). Center came back unhappy with our rate and assigned us 1000 FPM rather than a crossing fix with an altitude. Center then turned us off course and then further off course towards the east. We continued our descent and out of 15000 ft ZTL asked our rate. It was roughly 1000 FPM. Center said fine but asked for the pilot's name and home base. I've never heard a controller ask this question and it unsettled us to say the least. I believe the turns off course were petty punishment, as was asking the pilot name to create the impression the controller was going to report us for some wrong-doing. The cockpit is a busy enough place without this added stress. A way to hold controllers accountable would greatly reduce such tom foolery. Pilots should have the right to the controllers' name/numbers when these altercations occur.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: UNKNOWN PVT ACFT WITH DSCNT CLRNC AND RPTR PLT SET UP A 400 FPM DSCNT. ARTCC RADAR CTLR REQUESTED AT LEAST 1000 FPM WHICH MAYBE RPTR DID. CTLR TURNED ACFT OFF COURSE DUE TO DSCNT RATE AND RPTR BELIEVES IT WAS FOR PUNISHMENT.
Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC TO 11000 FT FROM FL230. WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT CHKLIST WHEN THE CTR CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. WE CONFIRMED 23000 FT DSNDING TO 11000 FT. OUR VNAV SHOWED A RATE OF 400 FPM TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR DSCNT TO TYS (140 MI). CTR CAME BACK UNHAPPY WITH OUR RATE AND ASSIGNED US 1000 FPM RATHER THAN A XING FIX WITH AN ALT. CTR THEN TURNED US OFF COURSE AND THEN FURTHER OFF COURSE TOWARDS THE E. WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT AND OUT OF 15000 FT ZTL ASKED OUR RATE. IT WAS ROUGHLY 1000 FPM. CTR SAID FINE BUT ASKED FOR THE PLT'S NAME AND HOME BASE. I'VE NEVER HEARD A CTLR ASK THIS QUESTION AND IT UNSETTLED US TO SAY THE LEAST. I BELIEVE THE TURNS OFF COURSE WERE PETTY PUNISHMENT, AS WAS ASKING THE PLT NAME TO CREATE THE IMPRESSION THE CTLR WAS GOING TO RPT US FOR SOME WRONG-DOING. THE COCKPIT IS A BUSY ENOUGH PLACE WITHOUT THIS ADDED STRESS. A WAY TO HOLD CTLRS ACCOUNTABLE WOULD GREATLY REDUCE SUCH TOM FOOLERY. PLTS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE CTLRS' NAME/NUMBERS WHEN THESE ALTERCATIONS OCCUR.
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.