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A BE35 pilot complains of a poor attitude on the part of the pct controller who was considered hostile by the reporter when asking about a descent clearance east of mrb, wv.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 616267 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200404 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mrb.vortac |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 35 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 616267 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
En route from mrb VOR to dmw at 9000 ft MSL, following previous stop dscnts from 15000 ft MSL, talking to potomac approach, maintaining a listening watch, I requested descent to lower altitude. The controller said 'I cleared you to 7000 ft 15 mi ago.' both myself (PIC) and my wife were listening and never received nor acknowledged a clearance to descend from 9000 ft to 7000 ft. The controller was apparently mistaken, thinking he had issued clearance to descend to 7000 ft when he had not done so. There was no other traffic in our vicinity. We were squawking altitude which had been verified with each previous controller. Since we were on his radar with altitude, if he had issued a descend clearance he could have seen we were not descending and would have questioned our lack of compliance. The controller did not do that. Instead he was not professional in his actions or communications. Controllers in that area are every so often not helpful or friendly. I am thankful I don't live in that area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE35 PLT COMPLAINS OF A POOR ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF THE PCT CTLR WHO WAS CONSIDERED HOSTILE BY THE RPTR WHEN ASKING ABOUT A DSCNT CLRNC E OF MRB, WV.
Narrative: ENRTE FROM MRB VOR TO DMW AT 9000 FT MSL, FOLLOWING PREVIOUS STOP DSCNTS FROM 15000 FT MSL, TALKING TO POTOMAC APCH, MAINTAINING A LISTENING WATCH, I REQUESTED DSCNT TO LOWER ALT. THE CTLR SAID 'I CLRED YOU TO 7000 FT 15 MI AGO.' BOTH MYSELF (PIC) AND MY WIFE WERE LISTENING AND NEVER RECEIVED NOR ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC TO DSND FROM 9000 FT TO 7000 FT. THE CTLR WAS APPARENTLY MISTAKEN, THINKING HE HAD ISSUED CLRNC TO DSND TO 7000 FT WHEN HE HAD NOT DONE SO. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN OUR VICINITY. WE WERE SQUAWKING ALT WHICH HAD BEEN VERIFIED WITH EACH PREVIOUS CTLR. SINCE WE WERE ON HIS RADAR WITH ALT, IF HE HAD ISSUED A DSND CLRNC HE COULD HAVE SEEN WE WERE NOT DSNDING AND WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED OUR LACK OF COMPLIANCE. THE CTLR DID NOT DO THAT. INSTEAD HE WAS NOT PROFESSIONAL IN HIS ACTIONS OR COMS. CTLRS IN THAT AREA ARE EVERY SO OFTEN NOT HELPFUL OR FRIENDLY. I AM THANKFUL I DON'T LIVE IN THAT AREA.
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.