Narrative:

ATIS information from poc advised VOR-a approach in use. Controller stated I would be vectored to ILS runway 26L at poc. I responded that I didn't think I could make it down from present position. Controller said 'don't worry, I'll get you down.' I said ok. I asked for 5 degree deviation to the west to avoid buildup. (I was slightly above cloud tops at 11000 ft with outside air temperature of -2 degrees C and was concerned about icing. Also I had previously experienced significant +/-1000 FPM up/down smooth sustained vertical air movements and had been granted block altitude from ZLA.) controller advised I stay on airway and shortly afterward told me to descend to 10000 ft. I informed controller I was going to slow down to get the landing gear down and I wanted to descend rapidly to avoid/minimize icing. While slowing down, I entered buildup and my altitude increased from 11000 ft to 11300 ft due to updraft in buildup. Also, controller cleared me to 8000 ft. Controller subsequently admonished that I was climbing instead of going down and that slowing down didn't justify going up. By this time I had the gear down and was descending back down through 11000 ft. I responded to the controller that I was on the way down. I chose not to engage the controller in controversy since flying the airplane is key to the flight's safety. Subsequently, I was cleared to 6000 ft. By slowing down and getting the landing gear down, I was able to descend at 1500 FPM and did not acquire noticeable icing, even though there must have been a temperature inversion aloft since freezing temperatures were indicated down to approximately 6000 ft. I believe my actions were appropriate under the circumstances considering the controller's lack of consideration for my requests for buildup avoidance and the need to avoid/minimize any icing. I recognize I could have declared an emergency and exercised my privilege under far part 91.3 to counter the controller's instructions, but that seemed to be a rather extreme action, even though I was tempted to do so. The controller's rather arrogant tone and responses to my requests for buildup deviation and rapid descent were also contributing factors to the altitude deviation and delay in descending.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT IN SMA TWIN INBOUND TO POC CONCERNED ABOUT ICING AND TURB IS GIVEN LESS THAN PROFESSIONAL SVC BY THE APCH CTLR.

Narrative: ATIS INFO FROM POC ADVISED VOR-A APCH IN USE. CTLR STATED I WOULD BE VECTORED TO ILS RWY 26L AT POC. I RESPONDED THAT I DIDN'T THINK I COULD MAKE IT DOWN FROM PRESENT POS. CTLR SAID 'DON'T WORRY, I'LL GET YOU DOWN.' I SAID OK. I ASKED FOR 5 DEG DEV TO THE W TO AVOID BUILDUP. (I WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE CLOUD TOPS AT 11000 FT WITH OUTSIDE AIR TEMP OF -2 DEGS C AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ICING. ALSO I HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT +/-1000 FPM UP/DOWN SMOOTH SUSTAINED VERT AIR MOVEMENTS AND HAD BEEN GRANTED BLOCK ALT FROM ZLA.) CTLR ADVISED I STAY ON AIRWAY AND SHORTLY AFTERWARD TOLD ME TO DSND TO 10000 FT. I INFORMED CTLR I WAS GOING TO SLOW DOWN TO GET THE LNDG GEAR DOWN AND I WANTED TO DSND RAPIDLY TO AVOID/MINIMIZE ICING. WHILE SLOWING DOWN, I ENTERED BUILDUP AND MY ALT INCREASED FROM 11000 FT TO 11300 FT DUE TO UPDRAFT IN BUILDUP. ALSO, CTLR CLRED ME TO 8000 FT. CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY ADMONISHED THAT I WAS CLBING INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN AND THAT SLOWING DOWN DIDN'T JUSTIFY GOING UP. BY THIS TIME I HAD THE GEAR DOWN AND WAS DSNDING BACK DOWN THROUGH 11000 FT. I RESPONDED TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS ON THE WAY DOWN. I CHOSE NOT TO ENGAGE THE CTLR IN CONTROVERSY SINCE FLYING THE AIRPLANE IS KEY TO THE FLT'S SAFETY. SUBSEQUENTLY, I WAS CLRED TO 6000 FT. BY SLOWING DOWN AND GETTING THE LNDG GEAR DOWN, I WAS ABLE TO DSND AT 1500 FPM AND DID NOT ACQUIRE NOTICEABLE ICING, EVEN THOUGH THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A TEMP INVERSION ALOFT SINCE FREEZING TEMPS WERE INDICATED DOWN TO APPROX 6000 FT. I BELIEVE MY ACTIONS WERE APPROPRIATE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES CONSIDERING THE CTLR'S LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR MY REQUESTS FOR BUILDUP AVOIDANCE AND THE NEED TO AVOID/MINIMIZE ANY ICING. I RECOGNIZE I COULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER AND EXERCISED MY PRIVILEGE UNDER FAR PART 91.3 TO COUNTER THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THAT SEEMED TO BE A RATHER EXTREME ACTION, EVEN THOUGH I WAS TEMPTED TO DO SO. THE CTLR'S RATHER ARROGANT TONE AND RESPONSES TO MY REQUESTS FOR BUILDUP DEV AND RAPID DSCNT WERE ALSO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ALTDEV AND DELAY IN DSNDING.

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.