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Small aircraft pilot close to iah TCA boundary gets into verbal confrontation with approach controller.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 155178 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199008 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : iah |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iah |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 32 |
| ASRS Report | 155178 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Circumnaving TCA counter clockwise from ellington field to hooks, I contacted approach to let them know what I was doing. Level at 1000' AGL I was given squawk and told that my mode C encoder showed 2500'. I verified level at 1000'. After crossing 26/27 extended centerline 12 mi out, I went to inner ring approximately 9 north (inner ring is 8) and was told to turn 20 degrees away as they were busy. I guess this meant they didn't want me close to edge to have to monitor me. I was also told angrily that I should stay 30 mi away with no mode C. Mode C worked normally that morning and as soon as I switched to hooks tower it was verified as working normally. Why have TCA rings if they make controllers nervous. Geographically defined VFR rts through/around TCA's make more sense. Houston is not that busy an airport. If controllers are 'maxed' out with airline traffic there, they need more controllers better equipment, better procedures. I never went into the TCA and never came near another aircraft but was treated as an annoyance. I am an airline pilot, air national guard fighter pilot and feel that I should be regarded equally even if I'm in a small single engine aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT CLOSE TO IAH TCA BOUNDARY GETS INTO VERBAL CONFRONTATION WITH APCH CTLR.
Narrative: CIRCUMNAVING TCA COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM ELLINGTON FIELD TO HOOKS, I CONTACTED APCH TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. LEVEL AT 1000' AGL I WAS GIVEN SQUAWK AND TOLD THAT MY MODE C ENCODER SHOWED 2500'. I VERIFIED LEVEL AT 1000'. AFTER XING 26/27 EXTENDED CTRLINE 12 MI OUT, I WENT TO INNER RING APPROX 9 N (INNER RING IS 8) AND WAS TOLD TO TURN 20 DEGS AWAY AS THEY WERE BUSY. I GUESS THIS MEANT THEY DIDN'T WANT ME CLOSE TO EDGE TO HAVE TO MONITOR ME. I WAS ALSO TOLD ANGRILY THAT I SHOULD STAY 30 MI AWAY WITH NO MODE C. MODE C WORKED NORMALLY THAT MORNING AND AS SOON AS I SWITCHED TO HOOKS TWR IT WAS VERIFIED AS WORKING NORMALLY. WHY HAVE TCA RINGS IF THEY MAKE CTLRS NERVOUS. GEOGRAPHICALLY DEFINED VFR RTS THROUGH/AROUND TCA'S MAKE MORE SENSE. HOUSTON IS NOT THAT BUSY AN ARPT. IF CTLRS ARE 'MAXED' OUT WITH AIRLINE TFC THERE, THEY NEED MORE CTLRS BETTER EQUIP, BETTER PROCS. I NEVER WENT INTO THE TCA AND NEVER CAME NEAR ANOTHER ACFT BUT WAS TREATED AS AN ANNOYANCE. I AM AN AIRLINE PLT, AIR NATIONAL GUARD FIGHTER PLT AND FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REGARDED EQUALLY EVEN IF I'M IN A SMALL SINGLE ENG ACFT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.