Pilot refuses controller's clearance to turn toward higher terrain.

Attributes
ACN	167051
Time
Date	199012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7300 msl bound upper : 7300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont tower : bis
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12800 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	167051
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	166799
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The flight was on approach to orange co airport, ca, and was cleared to the seal passed abeam kayoh, approach control commanded a left turn to 080 degree heading directly toward the saddleback mountain marked 78 south of the arwy. I refused the clearance because of unsafe terrain sep. Approach control insisted on the left turn and said to climb back to 8000' where we were supposed to be. I resolved the issue by climbing to 8000' and turning to the east. Later the controller said on the radio that he did not hear us read back our clearance to 6000'. The turn was given because ontario approach had just lost all communication with coast approach. Radio chatter was very busy at this time. We saw several VFR aircraft in the turn. I don't think that the controller was aware of our altitude clearance when he gave the turn toward the mountain because he was so busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REFUSES CTLR'S CLRNC TO TURN TOWARD HIGHER TERRAIN.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS ON APCH TO ORANGE CO ARPT, CA, AND WAS CLRED TO THE SEAL PASSED ABEAM KAYOH, APCH CTL COMMANDED A L TURN TO 080 DEG HDG DIRECTLY TOWARD THE SADDLEBACK MOUNTAIN MARKED 78 S OF THE ARWY. I REFUSED THE CLRNC BECAUSE OF UNSAFE TERRAIN SEP. APCH CTL INSISTED ON THE L TURN AND SAID TO CLB BACK TO 8000' WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. I RESOLVED THE ISSUE BY CLBING TO 8000' AND TURNING TO THE E. LATER THE CTLR SAID ON THE RADIO THAT HE DID NOT HEAR US READ BACK OUR CLRNC TO 6000'. THE TURN WAS GIVEN BECAUSE ONTARIO APCH HAD JUST LOST ALL COM WITH COAST APCH. RADIO CHATTER WAS VERY BUSY AT THIS TIME. WE SAW SEVERAL VFR ACFT IN THE TURN. I DON'T THINK THAT THE CTLR WAS AWARE OF OUR ALT CLRNC WHEN HE GAVE THE TURN TOWARD THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE HE WAS SO BUSY.

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.