Narrative:

I was flying at 10000' on an IFR flight plan from klamath falls to mfr on V122. ZSE had just xferred me to mfr approach (non radar environment). I was IMC with turbulence and icing (2 sigmets in progress). The approach controller cleared me directly to mfr VOR and to 6000' with reports leaving 8000 and 7000'. The radio reception was very bad. I had to shout in my microphone. She had to repeat her instructions. Due to the fact that it was non radar, her instructions were lengthier than I am used to. I have very little experience with non radar environment. It was also my first time going from klamath to mfr. I had over 50 KTS of crosswind and my heading was different than the radial of the VOR. The controller kept asking me about my DME and altitude (common in non radar). I told her that I was at 7800' descending. She told me to go back to 9000' due to terrain clearance. Upon landing the tower asked me to give them a call. I talked to the supervisor and apparently what happened was, by being at 7000', I must have triggered a low altitude warning on ZSE radar, who called mfr approach about me flying too low. I never talked on the phone with mfr approach to know what I did wrong. I believe I should have waited until 15 DME to start my descent. I found out later that another pilot had the same problem in the same area. Other contributing factors could have been the fact that it was extremely cold at klamath and it could have created a numbness of my thinking process. Single pilot, night, IFR with ice and turbulence, poor radio communications and some fatigue involved didn't help, either. The controller sounded like a trnee. Another controller came on the frequency momentarily. It was a confusing situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT GOT A LOW ALT WARNING FROM MFR APCH CTL ON FLT BETWEEN LMT AND OED.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AT 10000' ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM KLAMATH FALLS TO MFR ON V122. ZSE HAD JUST XFERRED ME TO MFR APCH (NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT). I WAS IMC WITH TURB AND ICING (2 SIGMETS IN PROGRESS). THE APCH CTLR CLRED ME DIRECTLY TO MFR VOR AND TO 6000' WITH RPTS LEAVING 8000 AND 7000'. THE RADIO RECEPTION WAS VERY BAD. I HAD TO SHOUT IN MY MIC. SHE HAD TO REPEAT HER INSTRUCTIONS. DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS NON RADAR, HER INSTRUCTIONS WERE LENGTHIER THAN I AM USED TO. I HAVE VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT. IT WAS ALSO MY FIRST TIME GOING FROM KLAMATH TO MFR. I HAD OVER 50 KTS OF XWIND AND MY HDG WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE RADIAL OF THE VOR. THE CTLR KEPT ASKING ME ABOUT MY DME AND ALT (COMMON IN NON RADAR). I TOLD HER THAT I WAS AT 7800' DSNDING. SHE TOLD ME TO GO BACK TO 9000' DUE TO TERRAIN CLRNC. UPON LNDG THE TWR ASKED ME TO GIVE THEM A CALL. I TALKED TO THE SUPVR AND APPARENTLY WHAT HAPPENED WAS, BY BEING AT 7000', I MUST HAVE TRIGGERED A LOW ALT WARNING ON ZSE RADAR, WHO CALLED MFR APCH ABOUT ME FLYING TOO LOW. I NEVER TALKED ON THE PHONE WITH MFR APCH TO KNOW WHAT I DID WRONG. I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL 15 DME TO START MY DSNT. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT ANOTHER PLT HAD THE SAME PROB IN THE SAME AREA. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS COULD HAVE BEEN THE FACT THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY COLD AT KLAMATH AND IT COULD HAVE CREATED A NUMBNESS OF MY THINKING PROCESS. SINGLE PLT, NIGHT, IFR WITH ICE AND TURB, POOR RADIO COMS AND SOME FATIGUE INVOLVED DIDN'T HELP, EITHER. THE CTLR SOUNDED LIKE A TRNEE. ANOTHER CTLR CAME ON THE FREQ MOMENTARILY. IT WAS A CONFUSING SITUATION.

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.