Narrative:

During climb vectors with ZAB, we were leveled at FL290 in moderate turbulence and given vectors left and right of course. Captain, PNF, inquired about higher altitude and was told very curtly by ATC controller 'not until another sector and controller.' captain responded 'won't be soon enough' in reference to the turbulence. Controller jumped in with 'sarcasm will not be tolerated on my frequency.' we were given direct ALS some time later and handed off to ZDV. The controller working us was obviously having a bad day, and the captain signed off with 'I hope you have a better day.' approximately 10 mins later, ZDV contacted us with a message to call ZAB and a phone number. The subsequent controller said the same thing, now in reference to a possible deviation. On landing, we contacted the abq number and spoke with the shift supervisor who reviewed the tapes and noted no deviation or 'bad attitude' on our part and apologized for the incident. We reported event to our pilot group air safety office who also contacted ZAB. It turned out said controller was relieved of duty for the day. The lesson here is that ATC controllers need to be monitored for human factors performance just like flcs. My opinion is that a controller in a bad mood was out to violate us over a perceived offense, and might have were it not for some proactive intervention by the crew and pilot group air safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 FLC ENCOUNTERS A DISCOMFORTED RADAR CTLR WHO CREATES A PROB WHEN INSINUATING A POSSIBLE DEV OF THE FLC 70 MI SW OF ALS, CO.

Narrative: DURING CLB VECTORS WITH ZAB, WE WERE LEVELED AT FL290 IN MODERATE TURB AND GIVEN VECTORS L AND R OF COURSE. CAPT, PNF, INQUIRED ABOUT HIGHER ALT AND WAS TOLD VERY CURTLY BY ATC CTLR 'NOT UNTIL ANOTHER SECTOR AND CTLR.' CAPT RESPONDED 'WON'T BE SOON ENOUGH' IN REF TO THE TURB. CTLR JUMPED IN WITH 'SARCASM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED ON MY FREQ.' WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT ALS SOME TIME LATER AND HANDED OFF TO ZDV. THE CTLR WORKING US WAS OBVIOUSLY HAVING A BAD DAY, AND THE CAPT SIGNED OFF WITH 'I HOPE YOU HAVE A BETTER DAY.' APPROX 10 MINS LATER, ZDV CONTACTED US WITH A MESSAGE TO CALL ZAB AND A PHONE NUMBER. THE SUBSEQUENT CTLR SAID THE SAME THING, NOW IN REF TO A POSSIBLE DEV. ON LNDG, WE CONTACTED THE ABQ NUMBER AND SPOKE WITH THE SHIFT SUPVR WHO REVIEWED THE TAPES AND NOTED NO DEV OR 'BAD ATTITUDE' ON OUR PART AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE INCIDENT. WE RPTED EVENT TO OUR PLT GROUP AIR SAFETY OFFICE WHO ALSO CONTACTED ZAB. IT TURNED OUT SAID CTLR WAS RELIEVED OF DUTY FOR THE DAY. THE LESSON HERE IS THAT ATC CTLRS NEED TO BE MONITORED FOR HUMAN FACTORS PERFORMANCE JUST LIKE FLCS. MY OPINION IS THAT A CTLR IN A BAD MOOD WAS OUT TO VIOLATE US OVER A PERCEIVED OFFENSE, AND MIGHT HAVE WERE IT NOT FOR SOME PROACTIVE INTERVENTION BY THE CREW AND PLT GROUP AIR SAFETY.

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.