Narrative:

My wife and I departed from charlotte county airport, fl, on a scenic flight to sarasota-bradenton airport, fl. Both my wife and I are canadian private pilots and I was flying our private aircraft, a piper PA28-140, at the time. Our route was from charlotte county airport to englewood and northward along the gulf coast to sarasota. I was navigating using the sectional chart, VOR and LORAN C. My cruising altitude was 1600 ft asl between charlotte county and englewood and 2600 ft asl between englewood and sarasota. Above englewood, I monitored sarasota ATIS (134.15) and at approximately 4 NM north of venice airport and 16 NM south of sarasota-bradenton airport, I called sarasota approach on 120.1. I provided the controller with my aircraft registration, type and position and requested clearance to land at sarasota-bradenton airport. The sarasota controller assigned me transponder code XXXX and instructed me to contact tampa approach on 119.65. I contacted tampa approach and requested clearance to land at sarasota airport. The tampa controller assigned me transponder code xxyy and instructed me to contact sarasota-bradenton tower on 120.1. I contacted the sarasota controller on 120.1 and again requested landing clearance/instructions. The sarasota controller first instructed me to call tampa approach on 119.65 and when I informed him that I had done so and that tampa had instructed me to contact sarasota tower at 120.1, the sarasota controller then instructed me to avoid class B airspace and turn northwest for right base for runway 4. At this time, I was still approximately 8 NM south of sarasota airport (nowhere near the class B airspace). As instructed by the sarasota controller, I reported to him when on right base and again when on final to runway 4. The sarasota controller responded by clearing me to land. I landed and received taxi clearance to FBO. The ground controller then instructed me to contact the sarasota-bradenton tower supervisor after parking my aircraft. I called the sarasota tower supervisor and asked him about the nature of the request to call him. He informed me that the tampa approach controller had asked him to call me and to notify me that I had failed to follow his instructions and headings. Furthermore, that my actions had caused the tampa controller concern and problems. I responded by assuring the sarasota tower supervisor that I had followed precisely the instructions given to me by both the tampa approach controller and the sarasota controllers. Also, that I was familiar with the new class B and class C airspace classifications and that I was using current sectional charts as well as the flight guide and AOPA aviation USA 1993 (the latest edition) for detailed information. Furthermore, I had not infringed on class B airspace, as I was south of sarasota, and that I had done my absolute best to communicate and to follow ATC's instructions to the best of my ability. Contributing factors and recommended corrections: 1) the flight guide gives both sarasota 120.1 and tampa 119.65/124.95 as approach frequencys. It further suggests that aircraft approaching from northeast/northwest use tampa TCA. This implies that aircraft approaching from the south should contact sarasota on 120.1 (please refer to copies of flight guide pages enclosed). 2) the AOPA aviation USA 1993 edition lists tampa/119.65, tampa/124.95 and sarasota/120.1 as approach frequencys. 3) clearer designation is needed on the miami sectional chart that 'VFR traffic approaching sarasota-bradenton should contact tampa approach control within 20 NM of sarasota- bradenton on 119.65.' 4) agreement between the tampa controller and sarasota controller as from whom pilots should be receiving the approach clearance/instructions. Summary: this incident has caused me much concern and lengthy reflection since I believe myself to be a safe and conscientious pilot. Both my wife (also a pilot) and I heard the same instructions from the controllers. Furthermore, we took considerable effort to plan and chart this flight as we had not landed at sarasota-bradenton airport before. In the several flts that we have made from canada to the USA, this experience is a first and will not be forgotten. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he has heard nothing further regarding the situation. He felt better just getting the report off to someone and expressing his distress. He had flight planned so carefully and was very disturbed to think he had made an error. Analyst assured him he was not being singled out in this matter. Others suffer similar mishaps with ATC on occasion.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CONTACTING APCH FOR ENTRY INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE IS HANDED OFF BACK AND FORTH BTWN APCH AND TWR.

Narrative: MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED FROM CHARLOTTE COUNTY ARPT, FL, ON A SCENIC FLT TO SARASOTA-BRADENTON ARPT, FL. BOTH MY WIFE AND I ARE CANADIAN PVT PLTS AND I WAS FLYING OUR PVT ACFT, A PIPER PA28-140, AT THE TIME. OUR RTE WAS FROM CHARLOTTE COUNTY ARPT TO ENGLEWOOD AND NORTHWARD ALONG THE GULF COAST TO SARASOTA. I WAS NAVING USING THE SECTIONAL CHART, VOR AND LORAN C. MY CRUISING ALT WAS 1600 FT ASL BTWN CHARLOTTE COUNTY AND ENGLEWOOD AND 2600 FT ASL BTWN ENGLEWOOD AND SARASOTA. ABOVE ENGLEWOOD, I MONITORED SARASOTA ATIS (134.15) AND AT APPROX 4 NM N OF VENICE ARPT AND 16 NM S OF SARASOTA-BRADENTON ARPT, I CALLED SARASOTA APCH ON 120.1. I PROVIDED THE CTLR WITH MY ACFT REGISTRATION, TYPE AND POS AND REQUESTED CLRNC TO LAND AT SARASOTA-BRADENTON ARPT. THE SARASOTA CTLR ASSIGNED ME XPONDER CODE XXXX AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT TAMPA APCH ON 119.65. I CONTACTED TAMPA APCH AND REQUESTED CLRNC TO LAND AT SARASOTA ARPT. THE TAMPA CTLR ASSIGNED ME XPONDER CODE XXYY AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT SARASOTA-BRADENTON TWR ON 120.1. I CONTACTED THE SARASOTA CTLR ON 120.1 AND AGAIN REQUESTED LNDG CLRNC/INSTRUCTIONS. THE SARASOTA CTLR FIRST INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL TAMPA APCH ON 119.65 AND WHEN I INFORMED HIM THAT I HAD DONE SO AND THAT TAMPA HAD INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT SARASOTA TWR AT 120.1, THE SARASOTA CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO AVOID CLASS B AIRSPACE AND TURN NW FOR R BASE FOR RWY 4. AT THIS TIME, I WAS STILL APPROX 8 NM S OF SARASOTA ARPT (NOWHERE NEAR THE CLASS B AIRSPACE). AS INSTRUCTED BY THE SARASOTA CTLR, I RPTED TO HIM WHEN ON R BASE AND AGAIN WHEN ON FINAL TO RWY 4. THE SARASOTA CTLR RESPONDED BY CLRING ME TO LAND. I LANDED AND RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC TO FBO. THE GND CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THE SARASOTA-BRADENTON TWR SUPVR AFTER PARKING MY ACFT. I CALLED THE SARASOTA TWR SUPVR AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST TO CALL HIM. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE TAMPA APCH CTLR HAD ASKED HIM TO CALL ME AND TO NOTIFY ME THAT I HAD FAILED TO FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND HDGS. FURTHERMORE, THAT MY ACTIONS HAD CAUSED THE TAMPA CTLR CONCERN AND PROBS. I RESPONDED BY ASSURING THE SARASOTA TWR SUPVR THAT I HAD FOLLOWED PRECISELY THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO ME BY BOTH THE TAMPA APCH CTLR AND THE SARASOTA CTLRS. ALSO, THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW CLASS B AND CLASS C AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATIONS AND THAT I WAS USING CURRENT SECTIONAL CHARTS AS WELL AS THE FLT GUIDE AND AOPA AVIATION USA 1993 (THE LATEST EDITION) FOR DETAILED INFO. FURTHERMORE, I HAD NOT INFRINGED ON CLASS B AIRSPACE, AS I WAS S OF SARASOTA, AND THAT I HAD DONE MY ABSOLUTE BEST TO COMMUNICATE AND TO FOLLOW ATC'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND RECOMMENDED CORRECTIONS: 1) THE FLT GUIDE GIVES BOTH SARASOTA 120.1 AND TAMPA 119.65/124.95 AS APCH FREQS. IT FURTHER SUGGESTS THAT ACFT APCHING FROM NE/NW USE TAMPA TCA. THIS IMPLIES THAT ACFT APCHING FROM THE S SHOULD CONTACT SARASOTA ON 120.1 (PLEASE REFER TO COPIES OF FLT GUIDE PAGES ENCLOSED). 2) THE AOPA AVIATION USA 1993 EDITION LISTS TAMPA/119.65, TAMPA/124.95 AND SARASOTA/120.1 AS APCH FREQS. 3) CLEARER DESIGNATION IS NEEDED ON THE MIAMI SECTIONAL CHART THAT 'VFR TFC APCHING SARASOTA-BRADENTON SHOULD CONTACT TAMPA APCH CTL WITHIN 20 NM OF SARASOTA- BRADENTON ON 119.65.' 4) AGREEMENT BTWN THE TAMPA CTLR AND SARASOTA CTLR AS FROM WHOM PLTS SHOULD BE RECEIVING THE APCH CLRNC/INSTRUCTIONS. SUMMARY: THIS INCIDENT HAS CAUSED ME MUCH CONCERN AND LENGTHY REFLECTION SINCE I BELIEVE MYSELF TO BE A SAFE AND CONSCIENTIOUS PLT. BOTH MY WIFE (ALSO A PLT) AND I HEARD THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE CTLRS. FURTHERMORE, WE TOOK CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO PLAN AND CHART THIS FLT AS WE HAD NOT LANDED AT SARASOTA-BRADENTON ARPT BEFORE. IN THE SEVERAL FLTS THAT WE HAVE MADE FROM CANADA TO THE USA, THIS EXPERIENCE IS A FIRST AND WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER REGARDING THE SIT. HE FELT BETTER JUST GETTING THE RPT OFF TO SOMEONE AND EXPRESSING HIS DISTRESS. HE HAD FLT PLANNED SO CAREFULLY AND WAS VERY DISTURBED TO THINK HE HAD MADE AN ERROR. ANALYST ASSURED HIM HE WAS NOT BEING SINGLED OUT IN THIS MATTER. OTHERS SUFFER SIMILAR MISHAPS WITH ATC ON OCCASION.

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.