Cpr small transport pilot on IFR flight descends without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	173379
Time
Date	199103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	173379
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying an small transport X on an IFR flight plan from 7k0 to roa. Approximately 30 mi west of roa, I requested a descent from 9000'. I was given clearance to 7000'. As I passed through 7200', I requested further descent. I was told to stand by. I was now about 25 mi west of roa. I leveled off at 8000' and again requested further descent. I was again told to stand by. I then said, 'small transport X cancel instruments,' with no response. I was still level at 7000'. I waited about 5 mi and again said, 'cancel instruments,' and began descending. As I passed through 6500', I finally was asked, 'small transport X, are you descending?' I said that I had cancelled instruments twice and had announced my descent. I was then told to contact roa approach and inform them of my cancellation. This is my best recollection of the vent. I fly this trip very frequently. I live in 7k0 and the company I fly for has a large office in roa. I have flown this route both directions with clrncs in the same area as low as 5000'. I also have had difficulty receiving descent clearance before, but usually at busy times with heavy traffic. On this day, the traffic was light. Roa sits in a sort of dish with mountains all around. I have had previous occasions where I was handed off by center at 7000' within 10 mi of the airport. It was hard to descend an small transport approximately 6000' in 10 mi west/O causing excessive cooling to the engines, and possible cylinder damage. The controller that I was talking to seemed to be a trnee. I did hear another controller on the frequency. He seemed to be a supervisor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT PLT ON IFR FLT DESCENDS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMT X ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM 7K0 TO ROA. APPROX 30 MI W OF ROA, I REQUESTED A DSNT FROM 9000'. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO 7000'. AS I PASSED THROUGH 7200', I REQUESTED FURTHER DSNT. I WAS TOLD TO STAND BY. I WAS NOW ABOUT 25 MI W OF ROA. I LEVELED OFF AT 8000' AND AGAIN REQUESTED FURTHER DSNT. I WAS AGAIN TOLD TO STAND BY. I THEN SAID, 'SMT X CANCEL INSTRUMENTS,' WITH NO RESPONSE. I WAS STILL LEVEL AT 7000'. I WAITED ABOUT 5 MI AND AGAIN SAID, 'CANCEL INSTRUMENTS,' AND BEGAN DSNDING. AS I PASSED THROUGH 6500', I FINALLY WAS ASKED, 'SMT X, ARE YOU DSNDING?' I SAID THAT I HAD CANCELLED INSTRUMENTS TWICE AND HAD ANNOUNCED MY DSNT. I WAS THEN TOLD TO CONTACT ROA APCH AND INFORM THEM OF MY CANCELLATION. THIS IS MY BEST RECOLLECTION OF THE VENT. I FLY THIS TRIP VERY FREQUENTLY. I LIVE IN 7K0 AND THE COMPANY I FLY FOR HAS A LARGE OFFICE IN ROA. I HAVE FLOWN THIS RTE BOTH DIRECTIONS WITH CLRNCS IN THE SAME AREA AS LOW AS 5000'. I ALSO HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY RECEIVING DSNT CLRNC BEFORE, BUT USUALLY AT BUSY TIMES WITH HEAVY TFC. ON THIS DAY, THE TFC WAS LIGHT. ROA SITS IN A SORT OF DISH WITH MOUNTAINS ALL AROUND. I HAVE HAD PREVIOUS OCCASIONS WHERE I WAS HANDED OFF BY CENTER AT 7000' WITHIN 10 MI OF THE ARPT. IT WAS HARD TO DSND AN SMT APPROX 6000' IN 10 MI W/O CAUSING EXCESSIVE COOLING TO THE ENGS, AND POSSIBLE CYLINDER DAMAGE. THE CTLR THAT I WAS TALKING TO SEEMED TO BE A TRNEE. I DID HEAR ANOTHER CTLR ON THE FREQ. HE SEEMED TO BE A SUPVR.

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.