Narrative:

VFR flight with flight following at 4500 ft MSL. Within 8 NM of monterey I told norcal approach that I have a visual on mry and punched out (sq 1200) and called the tower with a request to land (with the ATIS confirmed). In a very angry and unprofessional manner I was ordered to go back to approach for my class 'C' clearance. When I switched back to approach I realized that approach was very busy and it took me several minutes to re-establish contact. Realizing that I was getting closer to mry; I did a 360 degree for spacing while establishing contact with approach. When I finally contacted tower he demanded my position and asked who had given me permission for the 360. I answered that I did this to avoid his class 'C' airspace. I couldn't have been very close (4 NM at the most). In a post-flight phone call the tower controller was loud; rude; and belligerent. He did not let me state the facts. He was more zealous about his class 'C' airspace than his concern for flight safety. His attitude was that of a traffic cop with attitude. A review of all the tapes should serve to calm his anger and help him realize that a cooperative approach will help avoid misunderstandings. Safe flight is a teamwork enterprise! He was process oriented (rigid rules) rather than product oriented (flight safety).

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR ACFT INBOUND TO MRY QUESTIONED TWR HANDLING; ALLEGING UNPROFESSIONAL AND UNHELPFUL SERVICE BY LCL CTLR.

Narrative: VFR FLT WITH FLT FOLLOWING AT 4500 FT MSL. WITHIN 8 NM OF MONTEREY I TOLD NORCAL APCH THAT I HAVE A VISUAL ON MRY AND PUNCHED OUT (SQ 1200) AND CALLED THE TWR WITH A REQUEST TO LAND (WITH THE ATIS CONFIRMED). IN A VERY ANGRY AND UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER I WAS ORDERED TO GO BACK TO APCH FOR MY CLASS 'C' CLRNC. WHEN I SWITCHED BACK TO APCH I REALIZED THAT APCH WAS VERY BUSY AND IT TOOK ME SEVERAL MINUTES TO RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT. REALIZING THAT I WAS GETTING CLOSER TO MRY; I DID A 360 DEG FOR SPACING WHILE ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH APCH. WHEN I FINALLY CONTACTED TWR HE DEMANDED MY POSITION AND ASKED WHO HAD GIVEN ME PERMISSION FOR THE 360. I ANSWERED THAT I DID THIS TO AVOID HIS CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE (4 NM AT THE MOST). IN A POST-FLT PHONE CALL THE TWR CTLR WAS LOUD; RUDE; AND BELLIGERENT. HE DID NOT LET ME STATE THE FACTS. HE WAS MORE ZEALOUS ABOUT HIS CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE THAN HIS CONCERN FOR FLT SAFETY. HIS ATTITUDE WAS THAT OF A TFC COP WITH ATTITUDE. A REVIEW OF ALL THE TAPES SHOULD SERVE TO CALM HIS ANGER AND HELP HIM REALIZE THAT A COOPERATIVE APCH WILL HELP AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS. SAFE FLT IS A TEAMWORK ENTERPRISE! HE WAS PROCESS ORIENTED (RIGID RULES) RATHER THAN PRODUCT ORIENTED (FLT SAFETY).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.