Narrative:

The pilot of small aircraft X called from 0q5 by telephone for a WX briefing and an IFR clearance to concord (buchanan field) ccr. After completing briefing, contact ZOA sector 42 for clearance. Pilot advised he would be ready to depart at XX20. ZOA controller advised that she had traffic on V27 sbound in the vicinity of shelter cove and wouldn't be able to give him his request altitude. Pilot was given maintain 7000. As the clearance was being read, aircraft contacted me on 123.65, at yeager intersection for WX. This distraction me momentarily as the altitude was being read to me. I recalled '120' as the altitude (one of the altitudes mentioned by sector 42 as requested altitude) and wrote that down. The clearance was issued to the pilot as written with altitude as 'climb to 120.' I did not verify the altitude with ZOA on the first contact. After the pilot hung up, I realized that my recollection was not all that clear on the altitude, so I called ZOA 42 to verify altitude. ZOA 42 advised 'climb to 120.' I then advised ZOA at about XX13 that I issued 'climb to 120' as assigned altitude. I told controller I would attempt to contact small aircraft X. Called pelicans landing restaurant at 0q5; they have a radio on 122.7 and call themselves 'unicom' although the airport/facility directory lists 122.9 as their CTAF and no unicom. I made 3 broadcasts in the blind on fot VOR and on 122.3 to have small aircraft X contact acv FSS on 122.3. At XX32, the pilot called on the telephone to say he 'got the amended altitude of 70,' but he couldn't make the void time. He requested a clearance to depart in 6-7 min. Called ZOA 42 to advise, small aircraft X was on the ground 0q5 and did not depart. ZOA 42 cancelled the clearance and gave them an expect clearance time of 1800 ('on the hour'). Pilot was able to work a clearance from center and departed. The procedures involved in receiving a clearance off shelter cove are just asking for problems. The controller responsibility for the sector has to block off large amounts of airspace to protect the climbing aircraft until it is in radio contact. Although the MEA on V27 is 6700 ft, not being able to contact aircraft in this low altitude sector can become dangerous. I feel that the realignment of the sectors so that the offshore sector has control of this are might aid in preventing this. However, due to the low amounts of IFR traffic going into/out of 0q5 might not be worth this realignment. As a second choice perhaps, an rco for ZOA or acv at 0q5 might greatly improve this situation. Acv FSS routinely provide clrncs by radio to aircraft at cec and 016 on 122.3 and eka on 122.35. Capability is also available in more mountainous area east of acv at 021 (hoopa). This facility is only useful within 10 mi. Each rco is located on their respective airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FSS CTLR ISSUED WRONG ALT TO SMA X ON GND, BUT LATER MADE A CORRECTION TO THE ALT BEFORE THE SMA DEP.

Narrative: THE PLT OF SMA X CALLED FROM 0Q5 BY TELEPHONE FOR A WX BRIEFING AND AN IFR CLRNC TO CONCORD (BUCHANAN FIELD) CCR. AFTER COMPLETING BRIEFING, CONTACT ZOA SECTOR 42 FOR CLRNC. PLT ADVISED HE WOULD BE READY TO DEPART AT XX20. ZOA CTLR ADVISED THAT SHE HAD TFC ON V27 SBOUND IN THE VICINITY OF SHELTER COVE AND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GIVE HIM HIS REQUEST ALT. PLT WAS GIVEN MAINTAIN 7000. AS THE CLRNC WAS BEING READ, ACFT CONTACTED ME ON 123.65, AT YEAGER INTXN FOR WX. THIS DISTR ME MOMENTARILY AS THE ALT WAS BEING READ TO ME. I RECALLED '120' AS THE ALT (ONE OF THE ALTS MENTIONED BY SECTOR 42 AS REQUESTED ALT) AND WROTE THAT DOWN. THE CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO THE PLT AS WRITTEN WITH ALT AS 'CLB TO 120.' I DID NOT VERIFY THE ALT WITH ZOA ON THE FIRST CONTACT. AFTER THE PLT HUNG UP, I REALIZED THAT MY RECOLLECTION WAS NOT ALL THAT CLR ON THE ALT, SO I CALLED ZOA 42 TO VERIFY ALT. ZOA 42 ADVISED 'CLB TO 120.' I THEN ADVISED ZOA AT ABOUT XX13 THAT I ISSUED 'CLB TO 120' AS ASSIGNED ALT. I TOLD CTLR I WOULD ATTEMPT TO CONTACT SMA X. CALLED PELICANS LNDG RESTAURANT AT 0Q5; THEY HAVE A RADIO ON 122.7 AND CALL THEMSELVES 'UNICOM' ALTHOUGH THE ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY LISTS 122.9 AS THEIR CTAF AND NO UNICOM. I MADE 3 BROADCASTS IN THE BLIND ON FOT VOR AND ON 122.3 TO HAVE SMA X CONTACT ACV FSS ON 122.3. AT XX32, THE PLT CALLED ON THE TELEPHONE TO SAY HE 'GOT THE AMENDED ALT OF 70,' BUT HE COULDN'T MAKE THE VOID TIME. HE REQUESTED A CLRNC TO DEPART IN 6-7 MIN. CALLED ZOA 42 TO ADVISE, SMA X WAS ON THE GND 0Q5 AND DID NOT DEPART. ZOA 42 CANCELLED THE CLRNC AND GAVE THEM AN EXPECT CLRNC TIME OF 1800 ('ON THE HR'). PLT WAS ABLE TO WORK A CLRNC FROM CTR AND DEPARTED. THE PROCS INVOLVED IN RECEIVING A CLRNC OFF SHELTER COVE ARE JUST ASKING FOR PROBLEMS. THE CTLR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SECTOR HAS TO BLOCK OFF LARGE AMOUNTS OF AIRSPACE TO PROTECT THE CLBING ACFT UNTIL IT IS IN RADIO CONTACT. ALTHOUGH THE MEA ON V27 IS 6700 FT, NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT ACFT IN THIS LOW ALT SECTOR CAN BECOME DANGEROUS. I FEEL THAT THE REALIGNMENT OF THE SECTORS SO THAT THE OFFSHORE SECTOR HAS CTL OF THIS ARE MIGHT AID IN PREVENTING THIS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE LOW AMOUNTS OF IFR TFC GOING INTO/OUT OF 0Q5 MIGHT NOT BE WORTH THIS REALIGNMENT. AS A SECOND CHOICE PERHAPS, AN RCO FOR ZOA OR ACV AT 0Q5 MIGHT GREATLY IMPROVE THIS SITUATION. ACV FSS ROUTINELY PROVIDE CLRNCS BY RADIO TO ACFT AT CEC AND 016 ON 122.3 AND EKA ON 122.35. CAPABILITY IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN MORE MOUNTAINOUS AREA E OF ACV AT 021 (HOOPA). THIS FACILITY IS ONLY USEFUL WITHIN 10 MI. EACH RCO IS LOCATED ON THEIR RESPECTIVE ARPTS.

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.