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GA small transport made approximately 3 NM error when giving position report to mdt tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 83080 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198802 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mtn |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 1700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : mtn |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| ASRS Report | 83080 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I departed bwi airport for a flight to new england. Upon departing, bwi tower advised I contact departure and I was given a heading to follow. After several minutes into flight bwi departure advised I could assume my own navigation, I was 10 miles northeast of bwi and that I may enter the martin state (mtn) airport traffic area and I should contact martin tower for transition on 121.3. I contacted martin tower, reported my position (from the information provided my bwi departure i.e. 10 miles northeast of bwi), altitude, and route of flight. After a slight delay, the tower acknowledged and requested I report 2 NM from the field. This was a problem because my DME was out of service (mtn has a VOR on the field), and not being familiar with the area I had not pinpointed my radar position to a ground position on the washington TCA map. Hence there was a delay in my attempting to determine '2 NM from the field.' in the end I wasn't sure and reported 2 NM to what 'appeared' to be 2 NM away. Later when I had more time, I used a ruler to measure the distance to the field from the land marks I saw on the ground. In reality I was 4.5 NM form the field. Corrective action: I'd like to see one or both of the these done:when working an ATC facility and that facility will route you through a air traffic area either:a) ATC obtain a clearance on your behalf to reduce frequency switching, B) if ATC must hand you off, then instead of giving a position in relation to the departing facility also give a position that is in relation in the air traffic area. Example aircraft XXXX 10 northeast of bwi, contact martin state tower for advisories for transitioning the martin air traffic area, you are 15 miles southwest of martin state now (this piece of information would have been invaluable to me). Put a circle around all air traffic area's as is now done for arsa's TCA's. It would make correlating ground position to airport position much easier.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMT MADE APPROX 3 NM ERROR WHEN GIVING POSITION RPT TO MDT TWR.
Narrative: I DEPARTED BWI ARPT FOR A FLT TO NEW ENGLAND. UPON DEPARTING, BWI TWR ADVISED I CONTACT DEP AND I WAS GIVEN A HEADING TO FOLLOW. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES INTO FLT BWI DEP ADVISED I COULD ASSUME MY OWN NAVIGATION, I WAS 10 MILES NE OF BWI AND THAT I MAY ENTER THE MARTIN STATE (MTN) ARPT TFC AREA AND I SHOULD CONTACT MARTIN TWR FOR TRANSITION ON 121.3. I CONTACTED MARTIN TWR, REPORTED MY POSITION (FROM THE INFORMATION PROVIDED MY BWI DEP I.E. 10 MILES NE OF BWI), ALT, AND ROUTE OF FLT. AFTER A SLIGHT DELAY, THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED AND REQUESTED I REPORT 2 NM FROM THE FIELD. THIS WAS A PROBLEM BECAUSE MY DME WAS OUT OF SERVICE (MTN HAS A VOR ON THE FIELD), AND NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA I HAD NOT PINPOINTED MY RADAR POSITION TO A GND POSITION ON THE WASHINGTON TCA MAP. HENCE THERE WAS A DELAY IN MY ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE '2 NM FROM THE FIELD.' IN THE END I WASN'T SURE AND REPORTED 2 NM TO WHAT 'APPEARED' TO BE 2 NM AWAY. LATER WHEN I HAD MORE TIME, I USED A RULER TO MEASURE THE DISTANCE TO THE FIELD FROM THE LAND MARKS I SAW ON THE GND. IN REALITY I WAS 4.5 NM FORM THE FIELD. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I'D LIKE TO SEE ONE OR BOTH OF THE THESE DONE:WHEN WORKING AN ATC FACILITY AND THAT FACILITY WILL ROUTE YOU THROUGH A ATA EITHER:A) ATC OBTAIN A CLRNC ON YOUR BEHALF TO REDUCE FREQ SWITCHING, B) IF ATC MUST HAND YOU OFF, THEN INSTEAD OF GIVING A POSITION IN RELATION TO THE DEPARTING FAC ALSO GIVE A POSITION THAT IS IN RELATION IN THE ATA. EXAMPLE ACFT XXXX 10 NE OF BWI, CONTACT MARTIN STATE TWR FOR ADVISORIES FOR TRANSITIONING THE MARTIN ATA, YOU ARE 15 MILES SW OF MARTIN STATE NOW (THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE TO ME). PUT A CIRCLE AROUND ALL ATA'S AS IS NOW DONE FOR ARSA'S TCA'S. IT WOULD MAKE CORRELATING GND POSITION TO ARPT POSITION MUCH EASIER.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.