<< >> NASA ASRS Report 155669, August 1990

Cleared via a published transition, the pilot of an small aircraft is criticized for climbing up to the minimum published altitude.

Attributes
ACN	155669
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hto airport : fok
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	155669
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Proficiency flight in IFR conditions (hto-fok-hto) cleared originally to fok via direct hto direct fok, climb and maintain 2000', expect 3000' at hto. En route hto, approach requested me to fly the 'published transition' to the ILS approach at fok. This is a radial from hto and an altitude of 2700'. Passing hto, I began climb to 2700'. Approach evidently expected me to maintain 2000'. Deviation discovered when approach asked for PIREP on bases at hto and I included in my report the bases and tops. At 2700' I had just broken out.. In my opinion, terminology 'published transition' is precise--what is published on chart. If I was expected to fly radial and 2000', then the amended clearance should be 'fly radial XXX to intercept localizer, maintain XXXX'.' next time my readback will be more than echoing, 'fly published transition.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: upon discovering that the reporter had climbed from 2000' to the 2700' minimum altitude for the transition, the approach controller immediately sent the reporter back to 2000'. The controller did not indicate that a traffic conflict occurred or was about to occur, nor did the reporter note any radio traffic that would suggest that a potential conflict existed. Additionally, the matter is not being pursued by the FAA to the best of the reporter's knowledge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLEARED VIA A PUBLISHED TRANSITION, THE PLT OF AN SMA IS CRITICIZED FOR CLIMBING UP TO THE MINIMUM PUBLISHED ALT.

Narrative: PROFICIENCY FLT IN IFR CONDITIONS (HTO-FOK-HTO) CLRED ORIGINALLY TO FOK VIA DIRECT HTO DIRECT FOK, CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000', EXPECT 3000' AT HTO. ENRTE HTO, APCH REQUESTED ME TO FLY THE 'PUBLISHED TRANSITION' TO THE ILS APCH AT FOK. THIS IS A RADIAL FROM HTO AND AN ALT OF 2700'. PASSING HTO, I BEGAN CLB TO 2700'. APCH EVIDENTLY EXPECTED ME TO MAINTAIN 2000'. DEVIATION DISCOVERED WHEN APCH ASKED FOR PIREP ON BASES AT HTO AND I INCLUDED IN MY RPT THE BASES AND TOPS. AT 2700' I HAD JUST BROKEN OUT.. IN MY OPINION, TERMINOLOGY 'PUBLISHED TRANSITION' IS PRECISE--WHAT IS PUBLISHED ON CHART. IF I WAS EXPECTED TO FLY RADIAL AND 2000', THEN THE AMENDED CLRNC SHOULD BE 'FLY RADIAL XXX TO INTERCEPT LOC, MAINTAIN XXXX'.' NEXT TIME MY READBACK WILL BE MORE THAN ECHOING, 'FLY PUBLISHED TRANSITION.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: UPON DISCOVERING THAT THE RPTR HAD CLBED FROM 2000' TO THE 2700' MINIMUM ALT FOR THE TRANSITION, THE APCH CTLR IMMEDIATELY SENT THE RPTR BACK TO 2000'. THE CTLR DID NOT INDICATE THAT A TFC CONFLICT OCCURRED OR WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR, NOR DID THE RPTR NOTE ANY RADIO TFC THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT A POTENTIAL CONFLICT EXISTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE MATTER IS NOT BEING PURSUED BY THE FAA TO THE BEST OF THE RPTR'S KNOWLEDGE.

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.