PA44 pilot on VFR flight to vgt from east of las is instructed to proceed direct.

Attributes
ACN	592949
Time
Date	200309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : l30.tracon
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	592949
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We planned our flight to vgt, nv, so that we would come upon the class B airspace from peach springs VOR to lake mead to set ourselves up for the showboat arrival as depicted on the las vegas tac. We had been receiving flight following from ZLA, who canceled flight following as we approached the las vegas class B airspace because they did not have the capability to do a handoff to las vegas approach. We squawked 1200 and contacted las vegas approach. After establishing communications with approach, we were assigned a beacon code and instructed to proceed direct to vgt at or above 3500 ft MSL. We were well east of the wash marina entry point for the showboat arrival at the time we were charted to go direct to vgt. We proceeded direct to vgt from our present position which vectored us over nellis AFB. As we approached nellis, the controller queried us as to whether or not we had flown the area before (we had not) and if we could see nellis (it was obscured by mountains -- we saw it on the tac). He then vectored us onto the showboat arrival and we landed without incident at vgt. Never once did the controller mention the showboat arrival. 2 things need improvement. 1) ZLA should have the capability to do handoffs to las vegas approach for VFR aircraft. Very poor system management for ATC to know about an aircraft's intentions for the past 3 hours (we had flight following to las vegas) but then forget about the aircraft just as it is entering busy class B airspace. 2) the approach controller's phraseology was very precise (cleared direct to) but not what he meant (fly the showboat ar). We were well aware of the arrival and expected it, but when a controller uses specific phraseology that expedites the flight by going direct, we took it literally and went direct. Better that he should have said 'cleared to vgt VOR showboat 1' or words to that effect. The system is in real trouble when pilots hear specific terminology 'cleared direct to...') and controllers really mean something else. Clrncs should not be subject to guess work or interpretation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 PLT ON VFR FLT TO VGT FROM E OF LAS IS INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED DIRECT.

Narrative: WE PLANNED OUR FLT TO VGT, NV, SO THAT WE WOULD COME UPON THE CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM PEACH SPRINGS VOR TO LAKE MEAD TO SET OURSELVES UP FOR THE SHOWBOAT ARR AS DEPICTED ON THE LAS VEGAS TAC. WE HAD BEEN RECEIVING FLT FOLLOWING FROM ZLA, WHO CANCELED FLT FOLLOWING AS WE APCHED THE LAS VEGAS CLASS B AIRSPACE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO DO A HDOF TO LAS VEGAS APCH. WE SQUAWKED 1200 AND CONTACTED LAS VEGAS APCH. AFTER ESTABLISHING COMS WITH APCH, WE WERE ASSIGNED A BEACON CODE AND INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED DIRECT TO VGT AT OR ABOVE 3500 FT MSL. WE WERE WELL E OF THE WASH MARINA ENTRY POINT FOR THE SHOWBOAT ARR AT THE TIME WE WERE CHARTED TO GO DIRECT TO VGT. WE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO VGT FROM OUR PRESENT POS WHICH VECTORED US OVER NELLIS AFB. AS WE APCHED NELLIS, THE CTLR QUERIED US AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD FLOWN THE AREA BEFORE (WE HAD NOT) AND IF WE COULD SEE NELLIS (IT WAS OBSCURED BY MOUNTAINS -- WE SAW IT ON THE TAC). HE THEN VECTORED US ONTO THE SHOWBOAT ARR AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT VGT. NEVER ONCE DID THE CTLR MENTION THE SHOWBOAT ARR. 2 THINGS NEED IMPROVEMENT. 1) ZLA SHOULD HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO DO HDOFS TO LAS VEGAS APCH FOR VFR ACFT. VERY POOR SYS MGMNT FOR ATC TO KNOW ABOUT AN ACFT'S INTENTIONS FOR THE PAST 3 HRS (WE HAD FLT FOLLOWING TO LAS VEGAS) BUT THEN FORGET ABOUT THE ACFT JUST AS IT IS ENTERING BUSY CLASS B AIRSPACE. 2) THE APCH CTLR'S PHRASEOLOGY WAS VERY PRECISE (CLRED DIRECT TO) BUT NOT WHAT HE MEANT (FLY THE SHOWBOAT AR). WE WERE WELL AWARE OF THE ARR AND EXPECTED IT, BUT WHEN A CTLR USES SPECIFIC PHRASEOLOGY THAT EXPEDITES THE FLT BY GOING DIRECT, WE TOOK IT LITERALLY AND WENT DIRECT. BETTER THAT HE SHOULD HAVE SAID 'CLRED TO VGT VOR SHOWBOAT 1' OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT. THE SYS IS IN REAL TROUBLE WHEN PLTS HEAR SPECIFIC TERMINOLOGY 'CLRED DIRECT TO...') AND CTLRS REALLY MEAN SOMETHING ELSE. CLRNCS SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO GUESS WORK OR INTERP.

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.