Small aircraft pilot receives sct frequency run-around before correct frequency and issues resolved.

Attributes
ACN	577206
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	577206
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : sct.tracon

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from smo to L65 (perris valley). Smo was 450 ft overcast with tops at 1200 ft. My initial assigned frequency was 125.2. At 1500 ft, I was told to climb to 5000 ft and contact socal on 128.75. I repeated that information back to the controller and then went to the new frequency. I called the new controller at least 5 times and received no response from him. There was a great deal of other traffic conversing in his sector. Typically, when flying this procedure, I have been turned to a heading of 130 degrees when reaching 2700 ft, and now I was already at 4900 ft. I suspected that I was given the wrong frequency and indeed that was exactly the case. I called back the previous controller on 125.2 and he then asked me where I had been. I responded that I had xferred frequencys per his instruction and that I had confirmed that to him before changing. I decided to cancel IFR at this time, but first I requested that I be cleared through or away from the class B airspace before canceling. I was cleared to climb to 5500 ft and remain on the same squawk identify and then told to contact socal on 124.6. This controller told me to remain clear of the class B airspace. I told him that the altitude and heading were what I was assigned by the previous controller he gave me a new heading to fly and then assigned me to the previous controller's frequency of 125.2. This seemed odd. I verified the new numbers before changing to them. I was once again unable to make contact. After a few mins of flying, I contacted the frequency I believed to be correct (from my recall of previous flts). I did get a response from the next controller. He determined that I had been given an incorrect frequency and should be with him. I was then able to complete my 70 mi journey. If I had been unfamiliar with this section of los angeles airspace, the dysfunctional controller's actions and inactions could have been disastrous. Luckily, I was 'on top' in VFR conditions during these misfortunes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT RECEIVES SCT FREQ RUN-AROUND BEFORE CORRECT FREQ AND ISSUES RESOLVED.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SMO TO L65 (PERRIS VALLEY). SMO WAS 450 FT OVCST WITH TOPS AT 1200 FT. MY INITIAL ASSIGNED FREQ WAS 125.2. AT 1500 FT, I WAS TOLD TO CLB TO 5000 FT AND CONTACT SOCAL ON 128.75. I REPEATED THAT INFO BACK TO THE CTLR AND THEN WENT TO THE NEW FREQ. I CALLED THE NEW CTLR AT LEAST 5 TIMES AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM HIM. THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF OTHER TFC CONVERSING IN HIS SECTOR. TYPICALLY, WHEN FLYING THIS PROC, I HAVE BEEN TURNED TO A HDG OF 130 DEGS WHEN REACHING 2700 FT, AND NOW I WAS ALREADY AT 4900 FT. I SUSPECTED THAT I WAS GIVEN THE WRONG FREQ AND INDEED THAT WAS EXACTLY THE CASE. I CALLED BACK THE PREVIOUS CTLR ON 125.2 AND HE THEN ASKED ME WHERE I HAD BEEN. I RESPONDED THAT I HAD XFERRED FREQS PER HIS INSTRUCTION AND THAT I HAD CONFIRMED THAT TO HIM BEFORE CHANGING. I DECIDED TO CANCEL IFR AT THIS TIME, BUT FIRST I REQUESTED THAT I BE CLRED THROUGH OR AWAY FROM THE CLASS B AIRSPACE BEFORE CANCELING. I WAS CLRED TO CLB TO 5500 FT AND REMAIN ON THE SAME SQUAWK IDENT AND THEN TOLD TO CONTACT SOCAL ON 124.6. THIS CTLR TOLD ME TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I TOLD HIM THAT THE ALT AND HDG WERE WHAT I WAS ASSIGNED BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR HE GAVE ME A NEW HDG TO FLY AND THEN ASSIGNED ME TO THE PREVIOUS CTLR'S FREQ OF 125.2. THIS SEEMED ODD. I VERIFIED THE NEW NUMBERS BEFORE CHANGING TO THEM. I WAS ONCE AGAIN UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT. AFTER A FEW MINS OF FLYING, I CONTACTED THE FREQ I BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT (FROM MY RECALL OF PREVIOUS FLTS). I DID GET A RESPONSE FROM THE NEXT CTLR. HE DETERMINED THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN AN INCORRECT FREQ AND SHOULD BE WITH HIM. I WAS THEN ABLE TO COMPLETE MY 70 MI JOURNEY. IF I HAD BEEN UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS SECTION OF LOS ANGELES AIRSPACE, THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CTLR'S ACTIONS AND INACTIONS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. LUCKILY, I WAS 'ON TOP' IN VFR CONDITIONS DURING THESE MISFORTUNES.

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.