A C170 private pilot encounters some confusion with the ground controller over his position on the a...

Attributes
ACN	466140
Time
Date	200003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lit.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 170
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi ground : holding
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 275 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	466140
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : combined ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Called clearance delivery with location, destination, type of flight. Received altitude, squawk code and departure frequency. Called ground control. They asked me to 'say position.' I misunderstood his request as 'maintain position.' I read back holding instructions (it caught me off guard). Ground then asked if I was at 'central.' it sounded like 'sky travel' (my actual location). I answered in the affirmative, and ground gave me taxi instructions to runway 18 at intersection K. I proceeded to taxi to runway 18. 1/2 way down parallel taxiway, ground called me and chastised me for misrpting my position, then reissued same taxi instructions. I apologized and said I misunderstood his query. Cause: misunderstanding ground controller's position query. The 2 locations sounding similar in radio xmissions. Since I initially stated my position to clearance deliver as 'sky travel' this is what I expected to hear in the query (it was the same person!). Corrective recommendation: listen intently and don't expect to hear what you want to hear when communicating with same person on different ATC functional frequencys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C170 PVT PLT ENCOUNTERS SOME CONFUSION WITH THE GND CTLR OVER HIS POS ON THE ARPT AT LIT, AR.

Narrative: CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY WITH LOCATION, DEST, TYPE OF FLT. RECEIVED ALT, SQUAWK CODE AND DEP FREQ. CALLED GND CTL. THEY ASKED ME TO 'SAY POS.' I MISUNDERSTOOD HIS REQUEST AS 'MAINTAIN POS.' I READ BACK HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS (IT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD). GND THEN ASKED IF I WAS AT 'CENTRAL.' IT SOUNDED LIKE 'SKY TRAVEL' (MY ACTUAL LOCATION). I ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND GND GAVE ME TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 18 AT INTXN K. I PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO RWY 18. 1/2 WAY DOWN PARALLEL TXWY, GND CALLED ME AND CHASTISED ME FOR MISRPTING MY POS, THEN REISSUED SAME TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. I APOLOGIZED AND SAID I MISUNDERSTOOD HIS QUERY. CAUSE: MISUNDERSTANDING GND CTLR'S POS QUERY. THE 2 LOCATIONS SOUNDING SIMILAR IN RADIO XMISSIONS. SINCE I INITIALLY STATED MY POS TO CLRNC DELIVER AS 'SKY TRAVEL' THIS IS WHAT I EXPECTED TO HEAR IN THE QUERY (IT WAS THE SAME PERSON!). CORRECTIVE RECOMMENDATION: LISTEN INTENTLY AND DON'T EXPECT TO HEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH SAME PERSON ON DIFFERENT ATC FUNCTIONAL FREQS.

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.

A C170 private pilot encounters some confusion with the ground controller over his position on the airport at lit, ar.