Narrative:

Small aircraft was issued an IFR clearance through louisville AFSS, along with a void time. The aircraft had filed direct gzg (glade springs VORTAC) and on to the southeast and requested 9000 ft. I issued a route of direct ecb (newcomb VORTAC) and climbing to 5000 ft since as filed would have put the aircraft into ZID airspace without prior coordination. Direct ecb was to the northwest while direct gzg is southeast. There is very rapidly rising terrain and obstructions as you proceed south and southeast from K22, while to the northwest the terrain is hilly but lower. The aircraft took off and was tracking southeast when I first talked with him. He stated that he was going to ecb, and I had not yet radar idented the aircraft. As he proceeded southeast, I lost communication with the aircraft, and observed him level at 5000 ft. Another aircraft called small aircraft and I was able to re- establish communication. By this time the aircraft was 10 NM southeast of K22, and he still said he was proceeding direct to ecb. After getting the aircraft idented, I was able to issue a clearance on course and climb him to 9000 ft. What happened? 1) the pilot figured, why go northwest when the controller will probably put me on course right away. The controller only wants to delay me...or 2) a complete loss of situational awareness by the pilot, and he was 'blindly' flying along into rapidly rising terrain trying to figure out why the controller was repeatedly asking him if he is going northwest. I (we) issue clrncs with very good plans in mind. While there are those times that it seems you are going out of your way, it is to keep you out of someone's way or to avoid an unplanned close encounter with the earth. If ATC does something that creates a delay or other non-safety issue, please call us from on the ground and discuss it there. Please do not just assume the controller is wrong (or just doesn't have the picture) and do what you want. By the way -- this incident happened in deer season, not a good day to fly low over a bunch of people with guns! (Grin!)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RPT REGARDING A BE36 PLT WHO SEEMED TO DELIBERATELY FLY WRONG DIRECTION WHEN CLRED ON IFR FLT PLAN TO A MORE NORTHERLY VOR.

Narrative: SMA WAS ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC THROUGH LOUISVILLE AFSS, ALONG WITH A VOID TIME. THE ACFT HAD FILED DIRECT GZG (GLADE SPRINGS VORTAC) AND ON TO THE SE AND REQUESTED 9000 FT. I ISSUED A RTE OF DIRECT ECB (NEWCOMB VORTAC) AND CLBING TO 5000 FT SINCE AS FILED WOULD HAVE PUT THE ACFT INTO ZID AIRSPACE WITHOUT PRIOR COORD. DIRECT ECB WAS TO THE NW WHILE DIRECT GZG IS SE. THERE IS VERY RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS AS YOU PROCEED S AND SE FROM K22, WHILE TO THE NW THE TERRAIN IS HILLY BUT LOWER. THE ACFT TOOK OFF AND WAS TRACKING SE WHEN I FIRST TALKED WITH HIM. HE STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO ECB, AND I HAD NOT YET RADAR IDENTED THE ACFT. AS HE PROCEEDED SE, I LOST COM WITH THE ACFT, AND OBSERVED HIM LEVEL AT 5000 FT. ANOTHER ACFT CALLED SMA AND I WAS ABLE TO RE- ESTABLISH COM. BY THIS TIME THE ACFT WAS 10 NM SE OF K22, AND HE STILL SAID HE WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT TO ECB. AFTER GETTING THE ACFT IDENTED, I WAS ABLE TO ISSUE A CLRNC ON COURSE AND CLB HIM TO 9000 FT. WHAT HAPPENED? 1) THE PLT FIGURED, WHY GO NW WHEN THE CTLR WILL PROBABLY PUT ME ON COURSE RIGHT AWAY. THE CTLR ONLY WANTS TO DELAY ME...OR 2) A COMPLETE LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BY THE PLT, AND HE WAS 'BLINDLY' FLYING ALONG INTO RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE CTLR WAS REPEATEDLY ASKING HIM IF HE IS GOING NW. I (WE) ISSUE CLRNCS WITH VERY GOOD PLANS IN MIND. WHILE THERE ARE THOSE TIMES THAT IT SEEMS YOU ARE GOING OUT OF YOUR WAY, IT IS TO KEEP YOU OUT OF SOMEONE'S WAY OR TO AVOID AN UNPLANNED CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH THE EARTH. IF ATC DOES SOMETHING THAT CREATES A DELAY OR OTHER NON-SAFETY ISSUE, PLEASE CALL US FROM ON THE GND AND DISCUSS IT THERE. PLEASE DO NOT JUST ASSUME THE CTLR IS WRONG (OR JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE PICTURE) AND DO WHAT YOU WANT. BY THE WAY -- THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN DEER SEASON, NOT A GOOD DAY TO FLY LOW OVER A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WITH GUNS! (GRIN!)

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.