TCA intrusion by small transport freight aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	123726
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl airport : sus
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl tower : sus
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 600 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	123726
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called ground at sus. I told them I was departing VFR at 7500' to grr. He asked, 'will you be departing north?' I answered 'no, 040.' he told me to 'taxi to runway 8R; departure will be on 126.7.' I thought they were coordinating with departure, and if they weren't, they could have told me that I would enter the TCA on that heading and altitude. I told the tower I was ready for departure. She said, 'cleared to depart, cleared on course.' about 5 mi out, I asked if should be talking to departure. She said, 'yes.' I contacted departure and as soon as I talked to them, I could tell they weren't expecting me. I asked, 'what would you like me to do?' I got no response. I asked again. They gave me a squawk and the 7500'. I believe that there was a breakdown in communication here. I thought that I was cleared through the TCA on course, climbing to 7500'. Apparently, in retrospect, that wasn't the case from stl departure's point of view.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCA INTRUSION BY SMT FREIGHT ACFT.

Narrative: I CALLED GND AT SUS. I TOLD THEM I WAS DEPARTING VFR AT 7500' TO GRR. HE ASKED, 'WILL YOU BE DEPARTING N?' I ANSWERED 'NO, 040.' HE TOLD ME TO 'TAXI TO RWY 8R; DEP WILL BE ON 126.7.' I THOUGHT THEY WERE COORDINATING WITH DEP, AND IF THEY WEREN'T, THEY COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT I WOULD ENTER THE TCA ON THAT HDG AND ALT. I TOLD THE TWR I WAS READY FOR DEP. SHE SAID, 'CLRED TO DEPART, CLRED ON COURSE.' ABOUT 5 MI OUT, I ASKED IF SHOULD BE TALKING TO DEP. SHE SAID, 'YES.' I CONTACTED DEP AND AS SOON AS I TALKED TO THEM, I COULD TELL THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING ME. I ASKED, 'WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO?' I GOT NO RESPONSE. I ASKED AGAIN. THEY GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND THE 7500'. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN COM HERE. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS CLRED THROUGH THE TCA ON COURSE, CLBING TO 7500'. APPARENTLY, IN RETROSPECT, THAT WASN'T THE CASE FROM STL DEP'S POINT OF VIEW.

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.