 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A PA60 pilot, before departing hef on an IFR clearance, received an amendment that was unclear, and was not what pct expected.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 612081 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200403 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hef.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 192 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon tower : hef.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-60 602 Aerostar |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude ground : preflight ground : position and hold |
| Route In Use | departure : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 920 flight time type : 40 |
| ASRS Report | 612081 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
Manassas ground cleared me to maintain runway heading to 800 ft (using runway 16L), then direct csn, cross 10 mi west of csn at 2000 ft, then csn 3000 ft. Manassas tower cleared me for takeoff. When I was on the runway, before brake release, tower advised that departure wanted to change my clearance to maintain runway heading to 2000 ft. I read back these instructions. I assumed this was meant to maintain the rest of my departure clearance. So, I maintained runway heading until 2000 ft, then turned towards csn. I was xferred to potomac approach/departure right before reaching 2000 ft, and they answered my call soon after I had leveled off at 2000 ft and had just about completed my right turn towards csn. The controller was surprised that I was turning and had expected me to maintain runway heading, even after 2000 ft. It sounded like he did not want me heading towards csn at all. I think that clrer instructions from hef tower that led me to a previous segment of the clearance, or that told me to climb to 2000 ft and maintain runway heading would have cleared things up. Even better would have been for the tower to instruct me to disregard the clearance portion that sent me to csn, or to expect vectors at some point. Potentially adding to the confusion was the fact that I was already on the runway, ready to start rolling for takeoff, when I got the change in the clearance. I didn't think this should have been a big factor had the tower's instructions been clrer.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA60 PLT, BEFORE DEPARTING HEF ON AN IFR CLRNC, RECEIVED AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS UNCLEAR, AND WAS NOT WHAT PCT EXPECTED.
Narrative: MANASSAS GND CLRED ME TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG TO 800 FT (USING RWY 16L), THEN DIRECT CSN, CROSS 10 MI W OF CSN AT 2000 FT, THEN CSN 3000 FT. MANASSAS TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF. WHEN I WAS ON THE RWY, BEFORE BRAKE RELEASE, TWR ADVISED THAT DEP WANTED TO CHANGE MY CLRNC TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG TO 2000 FT. I READ BACK THESE INSTRUCTIONS. I ASSUMED THIS WAS MEANT TO MAINTAIN THE REST OF MY DEP CLRNC. SO, I MAINTAINED RWY HDG UNTIL 2000 FT, THEN TURNED TOWARDS CSN. I WAS XFERRED TO POTOMAC APCH/DEP RIGHT BEFORE REACHING 2000 FT, AND THEY ANSWERED MY CALL SOON AFTER I HAD LEVELED OFF AT 2000 FT AND HAD JUST ABOUT COMPLETED MY R TURN TOWARDS CSN. THE CTLR WAS SURPRISED THAT I WAS TURNING AND HAD EXPECTED ME TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG, EVEN AFTER 2000 FT. IT SOUNDED LIKE HE DID NOT WANT ME HDG TOWARDS CSN AT ALL. I THINK THAT CLRER INSTRUCTIONS FROM HEF TWR THAT LED ME TO A PREVIOUS SEGMENT OF THE CLRNC, OR THAT TOLD ME TO CLB TO 2000 FT AND MAINTAIN RWY HDG WOULD HAVE CLRED THINGS UP. EVEN BETTER WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE TWR TO INSTRUCT ME TO DISREGARD THE CLRNC PORTION THAT SENT ME TO CSN, OR TO EXPECT VECTORS AT SOME POINT. POTENTIALLY ADDING TO THE CONFUSION WAS THE FACT THAT I WAS ALREADY ON THE RWY, READY TO START ROLLING FOR TKOF, WHEN I GOT THE CHANGE IN THE CLRNC. I DIDN'T THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG FACTOR HAD THE TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS BEEN CLRER.
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.