Narrative:

Tower controller advised of need to transition air traffic area northwest to southeast at 2000' MSL (overlapping TCA 2300 floor). I called in 8-10 mi out to the northwest. Tower asked that I report 1 1/2 mi northwest of the 'capitol' for a transition west of the st paul downtown airport. Thinking I was already 'west' of the airport I thought the request was redundant. I reported 1 1/2 mi northwest of the 'capitol' (he was referring to the state capitol bldg in downtown st paul), and was cleared for the transition. I was on V2 (gopher 125 degree right) to maintain positive separation from the msp TCA, V2 passes 1/2 mi to the east side of st paul downtown airport. I noted an small aircraft departing southeast and turning a left pattern as I came abeam midfield. I had continuous visual contact with at least 1 mi separation. At this point the tower controller advised I was in conflict with this traffic by not transitioning on the west side of the airport. I commented that his instructions were vague and that a west transition (looking at the map) leaves little clearance with the TCA core. The tower controller said there was plenty of clearance. No corrective action was taken. I continued on course and the tower made no further requests or comments. I should have queried the controller as to what he meant by a 'west transition' compliance with instructions to fly to the right (my perspective) side of the airport, close in and parallel to runway 14-32 could easily have been accomplished.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WAS CLEARED TO TRANSIT STP ATA WEST OF THE ARPT AT 2000'. ACFT MADE TRANSIT EAST OF THE ARPT.

Narrative: TWR CTLR ADVISED OF NEED TO TRANSITION ATA NW TO SE AT 2000' MSL (OVERLAPPING TCA 2300 FLOOR). I CALLED IN 8-10 MI OUT TO THE NW. TWR ASKED THAT I REPORT 1 1/2 MI NW OF THE 'CAPITOL' FOR A TRANSITION W OF THE ST PAUL DOWNTOWN ARPT. THINKING I WAS ALREADY 'WEST' OF THE ARPT I THOUGHT THE REQUEST WAS REDUNDANT. I REPORTED 1 1/2 MI NW OF THE 'CAPITOL' (HE WAS REFERRING TO THE STATE CAPITOL BLDG IN DOWNTOWN ST PAUL), AND WAS CLRED FOR THE TRANSITION. I WAS ON V2 (GOPHER 125 DEG R) TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE SEPARATION FROM THE MSP TCA, V2 PASSES 1/2 MI TO THE E SIDE OF ST PAUL DOWNTOWN ARPT. I NOTED AN SMA DEPARTING SE AND TURNING A LEFT PATTERN AS I CAME ABEAM MIDFIELD. I HAD CONTINUOUS VISUAL CONTACT WITH AT LEAST 1 MI SEPARATION. AT THIS POINT THE TWR CTLR ADVISED I WAS IN CONFLICT WITH THIS TFC BY NOT TRANSITIONING ON THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT. I COMMENTED THAT HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE VAGUE AND THAT A W TRANSITION (LOOKING AT THE MAP) LEAVES LITTLE CLRNC WITH THE TCA CORE. THE TWR CTLR SAID THERE WAS PLENTY OF CLRNC. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. I CONTINUED ON COURSE AND THE TWR MADE NO FURTHER REQUESTS OR COMMENTS. I SHOULD HAVE QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO WHAT HE MEANT BY A 'WEST TRANSITION' COMPLIANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO FLY TO THE RIGHT (MY PERSPECTIVE) SIDE OF THE ARPT, CLOSE IN AND PARALLEL TO RWY 14-32 COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

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.