Narrative:

I recently experienced a number of ATC mistakes that, while minor, may point to a greater problem because I have never seen or heard so many. The following all occurred within 24 hours. 1) approach control to cincinnati assigned us an altimeter setting of 30.82 after we had copied 29.82 from ATIS. He only changed it when we questioned it a second time. 2) ATIS reports for cvg came out with letters and at the same time (XA08) when we reported information, the controller rudely told us we were wrong and to get the right one then call back. 3) while departing atl and climbing to FL260 we were expecting to be cleared on J239. We received several vectors but never cleared onto J239. A ZME controller eventually asked us if we were having trouble navigating the airway. We answered that our last clearance was a vector but nothing about J239. He started to say something else but stopped and said 'never mind, join J239.' 4) approaching atl for visual approach to runway 26R, approach control did not tell us to switch tower until just before the marker. When we switched the tower was calling us clearing us to land. When we responded he said 'thank you, third call.' before switching to ground frequency we heard him try to clear someone to land 4 times before they switched to that frequency. He seemed to be causing his own problem for some reason. 5) our pre departure clearance in cvg assigned us runway 18L for departure. Ground control sounded frustrated when we showed up at spot X and said we were supposed to go to runway 18R. There's no way for us to know that until he tells us. To not exit the ramp at the appropriate spot for our pre departure clearance assigned runway would be a sort of deviation from our clearance. None of these instances caused us any problems, but I can't help believe there is something happening under the surface causing this much greater than normal error rate and frustration.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH ATC SVC MISTAKES WHICH OCCURRED WITHIN A TWENTY-FOUR HOUR PERIOD.

Narrative: I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF ATC MISTAKES THAT, WHILE MINOR, MAY POINT TO A GREATER PROB BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD SO MANY. THE FOLLOWING ALL OCCURRED WITHIN 24 HRS. 1) APCH CTL TO CINCINNATI ASSIGNED US AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.82 AFTER WE HAD COPIED 29.82 FROM ATIS. HE ONLY CHANGED IT WHEN WE QUESTIONED IT A SECOND TIME. 2) ATIS RPTS FOR CVG CAME OUT WITH LETTERS AND AT THE SAME TIME (XA08) WHEN WE RPTED INFO, THE CTLR RUDELY TOLD US WE WERE WRONG AND TO GET THE RIGHT ONE THEN CALL BACK. 3) WHILE DEPARTING ATL AND CLBING TO FL260 WE WERE EXPECTING TO BE CLRED ON J239. WE RECEIVED SEVERAL VECTORS BUT NEVER CLRED ONTO J239. A ZME CTLR EVENTUALLY ASKED US IF WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE NAVING THE AIRWAY. WE ANSWERED THAT OUR LAST CLRNC WAS A VECTOR BUT NOTHING ABOUT J239. HE STARTED TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE BUT STOPPED AND SAID 'NEVER MIND, JOIN J239.' 4) APCHING ATL FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R, APCH CTL DID NOT TELL US TO SWITCH TWR UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE MARKER. WHEN WE SWITCHED THE TWR WAS CALLING US CLRING US TO LAND. WHEN WE RESPONDED HE SAID 'THANK YOU, THIRD CALL.' BEFORE SWITCHING TO GND FREQ WE HEARD HIM TRY TO CLR SOMEONE TO LAND 4 TIMES BEFORE THEY SWITCHED TO THAT FREQ. HE SEEMED TO BE CAUSING HIS OWN PROB FOR SOME REASON. 5) OUR PDC IN CVG ASSIGNED US RWY 18L FOR DEP. GND CTL SOUNDED FRUSTRATED WHEN WE SHOWED UP AT SPOT X AND SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TO RWY 18R. THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO KNOW THAT UNTIL HE TELLS US. TO NOT EXIT THE RAMP AT THE APPROPRIATE SPOT FOR OUR PDC ASSIGNED RWY WOULD BE A SORT OF DEV FROM OUR CLRNC. NONE OF THESE INSTANCES CAUSED US ANY PROBS, BUT I CAN'T HELP BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING HAPPENING UNDER THE SURFACE CAUSING THIS MUCH GREATER THAN NORMAL ERROR RATE AND FRUSTRATION.

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.