Narrative:

The problem arose from a combination of events including misunderstanding, miscom, some cockpit conversation/confusion along with an abrupt and somewhat rude controller who seemed to be upset and unaware that I had been given vectors to intercept ccr's lda and an assigned altitude by the previous travis controller. The chain of events are as follows: I requested a clearance for the lda at concord at approximately XA25 because the WX had deteriorated to marginal VFR. The travis controller gave me a descent altitude (3000') and a vector to intercept the lda at concord. After verifying instructions I proceeded to comply and then was handed off to another travis controller. Since I had been cleared to 3000' I so reported on initial contact to this controller who did not acknowledge at first. When he did he seemed annoyed, abrupt and angry and it appeared he was unaware of the fact I had been on radar with the previous travis controller. He made some disparaging remark and told me to climb to 5000', to proceed to kanan and hold in an almost vindictive tone of voice, and to expect a 5-10 minute delay. I failed to hold correctly as published. Descent altitude was given and the remainder of the approach was executed with an inadvertent incorrect frequency being dialed in after intercept that was corrected and handoff was given to concord tower with an uneventful landing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: called the reporter to obtain address. Also discussed the incident. Suggested that whenever ATC handling is questionable, should call the facility to review the incident. Reporter did not do so in this case, however. Reporter said is very active with the aviation community and often visits ATC facility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FAILED TO HOLD ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED PROC.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE FROM A COMBINATION OF EVENTS INCLUDING MISUNDERSTANDING, MISCOM, SOME COCKPIT CONVERSATION/CONFUSION ALONG WITH AN ABRUPT AND SOMEWHAT RUDE CTLR WHO SEEMED TO BE UPSET AND UNAWARE THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT CCR'S LDA AND AN ASSIGNED ALT BY THE PREVIOUS TRAVIS CTLR. THE CHAIN OF EVENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: I REQUESTED A CLRNC FOR THE LDA AT CONCORD AT APPROX XA25 BECAUSE THE WX HAD DETERIORATED TO MARGINAL VFR. THE TRAVIS CTLR GAVE ME A DSCNT ALT (3000') AND A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE LDA AT CONCORD. AFTER VERIFYING INSTRUCTIONS I PROCEEDED TO COMPLY AND THEN WAS HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER TRAVIS CTLR. SINCE I HAD BEEN CLRED TO 3000' I SO REPORTED ON INITIAL CONTACT TO THIS CTLR WHO DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AT FIRST. WHEN HE DID HE SEEMED ANNOYED, ABRUPT AND ANGRY AND IT APPEARED HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE FACT I HAD BEEN ON RADAR WITH THE PREVIOUS TRAVIS CTLR. HE MADE SOME DISPARAGING REMARK AND TOLD ME TO CLIMB TO 5000', TO PROCEED TO KANAN AND HOLD IN AN ALMOST VINDICTIVE TONE OF VOICE, AND TO EXPECT A 5-10 MINUTE DELAY. I FAILED TO HOLD CORRECTLY AS PUBLISHED. DSCNT ALT WAS GIVEN AND THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS EXECUTED WITH AN INADVERTENT INCORRECT FREQ BEING DIALED IN AFTER INTERCEPT THAT WAS CORRECTED AND HANDOFF WAS GIVEN TO CONCORD TWR WITH AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CALLED THE REPORTER TO OBTAIN ADDRESS. ALSO DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT. SUGGESTED THAT WHENEVER ATC HANDLING IS QUESTIONABLE, SHOULD CALL THE FAC TO REVIEW THE INCIDENT. REPORTER DID NOT DO SO IN THIS CASE, HOWEVER. REPORTER SAID IS VERY ACTIVE WITH THE AVIATION COMMUNITY AND OFTEN VISITS ATC FAC.

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.