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Pilot of corporate twin descends from FL250 without authorization, claims frequency congestion and operating into reserves made action necessary.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 115019 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198906 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : abl |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 2281 |
| ASRS Report | 115019 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
East coast traffic was being routed by center, along V-93 east of washington, baltimore, WX existed and delays were numerous, because of WX deviations and route changed by ATC. Reserve fuel was less than planned and further delays would deplete reserves further on. I asked center on 3 occasions for a more direct route. I was told to hold for further instructions on 2 xmissions. During at least a 10 min period, ATC did not reply, even after I told ATC I wanted to cancel IFR, I repeated the request and could not raise center. At that point I told center of my intention to descend to a VFR altitude and cancel IFR. I then departed FL250 in VFR conditions, center finally contacted me passing thru FL230 and gave me a descent to 17,500' after a climb to FL240 (as requested by center) and a hold at that altitude for several minutes, where I continued in VFR conditions to destination and landed with 1 hour reserve remaining.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF CORPORATE TWIN DESCENDS FROM FL250 WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION, CLAIMS FREQ CONGESTION AND OPERATING INTO RESERVES MADE ACTION NECESSARY.
Narrative: EAST COAST TFC WAS BEING ROUTED BY CENTER, ALONG V-93 EAST OF WASHINGTON, BALTIMORE, WX EXISTED AND DELAYS WERE NUMEROUS, BECAUSE OF WX DEVIATIONS AND ROUTE CHANGED BY ATC. RESERVE FUEL WAS LESS THAN PLANNED AND FURTHER DELAYS WOULD DEPLETE RESERVES FURTHER ON. I ASKED CENTER ON 3 OCCASIONS FOR A MORE DIRECT ROUTE. I WAS TOLD TO HOLD FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON 2 XMISSIONS. DURING AT LEAST A 10 MIN PERIOD, ATC DID NOT REPLY, EVEN AFTER I TOLD ATC I WANTED TO CANCEL IFR, I REPEATED THE REQUEST AND COULD NOT RAISE CENTER. AT THAT POINT I TOLD CENTER OF MY INTENTION TO DSND TO A VFR ALT AND CANCEL IFR. I THEN DEPARTED FL250 IN VFR CONDITIONS, CENTER FINALLY CONTACTED ME PASSING THRU FL230 AND GAVE ME A DSCNT TO 17,500' AFTER A CLIMB TO FL240 (AS REQUESTED BY CENTER) AND A HOLD AT THAT ALT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, WHERE I CONTINUED IN VFR CONDITIONS TO DEST AND LANDED WITH 1 HR RESERVE REMAINING.
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.