Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from white plains, ny, to rutland state airport in rutland, vt. The majority of my flight was in IMC. I was proceeding northeast on V487 at 9000 ft towards the cambridge VOR and began accumulating light ice. I requested, and was given 7000 ft by albany approach (125.0) which was below the freezing level. As I approached cambridge, however, I again began to accumulate ice. At this point, I requested the cambridge transition to rutland as the published altitude is 5000 ft, which altitude can only be used in conjunction with the transition. Albany cleared me to rutland airport via the cambridge transition. Upon reaching the cambridge VOR, I began a descent to 5000 and announced to albany that I was 'leaving 7 for 5.' I believe albany 'rogered' and told me to contact boston on 135.7. It took me a while to establish contact with boston until at about 6000 ft, and announced that I was leaving '6 for 5.' boston 'rogered.' halfway to rutland on the transition, boston inquired as to who gave me an altitude of 5000 ft, and I replied that albany cleared me for the transition. Boston said that the transition clearance did not constitute a clearance to the lower altitude, and that I could only descend to the lower altitude had I been cleared for the approach via the transition. The controller told me that it was 'not a problem' but if there was a southwest departure from rutland, he would have to make me climb back to 7000. As I was VFR at 5000, I cancelled my IFR flight plan and continued to rutland. There was no conflict as I understand it from the boston controller. I believe that I have a good understanding of altitude rules and truly believed that I would descend to the transition altitude having been cleared for the transition. I have asked a number of instructors with varied interpretations. As such, perhaps this can be more clearly indicated by the controller such as 'cleared for the transition, maintain 7000,' as is done when you are cleared for an approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN DSNDED TO A LOWER TRANSITION ALT PRIOR TO RECEIVING AN APPROPRIATE CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM WHITE PLAINS, NY, TO RUTLAND STATE ARPT IN RUTLAND, VT. THE MAJORITY OF MY FLT WAS IN IMC. I WAS PROCEEDING NE ON V487 AT 9000 FT TOWARDS THE CAMBRIDGE VOR AND BEGAN ACCUMULATING LIGHT ICE. I REQUESTED, AND WAS GIVEN 7000 FT BY ALBANY APCH (125.0) WHICH WAS BELOW THE FREEZING LEVEL. AS I APCHED CAMBRIDGE, HOWEVER, I AGAIN BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE ICE. AT THIS POINT, I REQUESTED THE CAMBRIDGE TRANSITION TO RUTLAND AS THE PUBLISHED ALT IS 5000 FT, WHICH ALT CAN ONLY BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSITION. ALBANY CLRED ME TO RUTLAND ARPT VIA THE CAMBRIDGE TRANSITION. UPON REACHING THE CAMBRIDGE VOR, I BEGAN A DSCNT TO 5000 AND ANNOUNCED TO ALBANY THAT I WAS 'LEAVING 7 FOR 5.' I BELIEVE ALBANY 'ROGERED' AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT BOSTON ON 135.7. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH BOSTON UNTIL AT ABOUT 6000 FT, AND ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS LEAVING '6 FOR 5.' BOSTON 'ROGERED.' HALFWAY TO RUTLAND ON THE TRANSITION, BOSTON INQUIRED AS TO WHO GAVE ME AN ALT OF 5000 FT, AND I REPLIED THAT ALBANY CLRED ME FOR THE TRANSITION. BOSTON SAID THAT THE TRANSITION CLRNC DID NOT CONSTITUTE A CLRNC TO THE LOWER ALT, AND THAT I COULD ONLY DSND TO THE LOWER ALT HAD I BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH VIA THE TRANSITION. THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT IT WAS 'NOT A PROBLEM' BUT IF THERE WAS A SW DEP FROM RUTLAND, HE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE ME CLB BACK TO 7000. AS I WAS VFR AT 5000, I CANCELLED MY IFR FLT PLAN AND CONTINUED TO RUTLAND. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE BOSTON CTLR. I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF ALT RULES AND TRULY BELIEVED THAT I WOULD DSND TO THE TRANSITION ALT HAVING BEEN CLRED FOR THE TRANSITION. I HAVE ASKED A NUMBER OF INSTRUCTORS WITH VARIED INTERPRETATIONS. AS SUCH, PERHAPS THIS CAN BE MORE CLRLY INDICATED BY THE CTLR SUCH AS 'CLRED FOR THE TRANSITION, MAINTAIN 7000,' AS IS DONE WHEN YOU ARE CLRED FOR AN APCH.

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.