Narrative:

At about XA42 local climbing out from slc, heading toward fairfield VOR climbing to 16000' MSL assigned we were given 'immediate right turn to 250 degrees, descend to 10000'.' we were at 11800' MSL at that time and commenced the turn and descent. At 10800' we were issued new instructions for a left turn, climb to fairfield. End of incident. Comments: prior to takeoff on our briefing we went over, in detail, the mountains to the east and west, on the slc area chart and the shaded ama's on our route south, what we would do if we lost 1 or 2 engines, icing, etc. The controller who was working us was talking to only 1 other aircraft. The controller also gave other aircraft deviations. The tone of his voice and the word 'immediately' betrayed a threatening situation. I was not pleased to be controled into a mountain and to be unable to talk to the controller because he was talking to other aircraft. What if our radios failed? At the time we were in the clouds unable to see other traffic, icing conditions with engine anti-ice on. We were being headed into an area with an ama of 12800', in the clouds, icing, with instructions to descend to 10000'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON VECTORED AND DESCENDED LGT TOWARD MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA42 LCL CLBING OUT FROM SLC, HDG TOWARD FAIRFIELD VOR CLBING TO 16000' MSL ASSIGNED WE WERE GIVEN 'IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN TO 250 DEGS, DSND TO 10000'.' WE WERE AT 11800' MSL AT THAT TIME AND COMMENCED THE TURN AND DSCNT. AT 10800' WE WERE ISSUED NEW INSTRUCTIONS FOR A LEFT TURN, CLB TO FAIRFIELD. END OF INCIDENT. COMMENTS: PRIOR TO TKOF ON OUR BRIEFING WE WENT OVER, IN DETAIL, THE MOUNTAINS TO THE E AND W, ON THE SLC AREA CHART AND THE SHADED AMA'S ON OUR ROUTE S, WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE LOST 1 OR 2 ENGS, ICING, ETC. THE CTLR WHO WAS WORKING US WAS TALKING TO ONLY 1 OTHER ACFT. THE CTLR ALSO GAVE OTHER ACFT DEVIATIONS. THE TONE OF HIS VOICE AND THE WORD 'IMMEDIATELY' BETRAYED A THREATENING SITUATION. I WAS NOT PLEASED TO BE CTLED INTO A MOUNTAIN AND TO BE UNABLE TO TALK TO THE CTLR BECAUSE HE WAS TALKING TO OTHER ACFT. WHAT IF OUR RADIOS FAILED? AT THE TIME WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS UNABLE TO SEE OTHER TFC, ICING CONDITIONS WITH ENG ANTI-ICE ON. WE WERE BEING HEADED INTO AN AREA WITH AN AMA OF 12800', IN THE CLOUDS, ICING, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND TO 10000'.

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.