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The pilot was 'uncomfortable' with the phraseology the controller used to ascertain the VFR flight was in fact 'cleared' into class B airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 285167 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199410 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : luf tracon : phx |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 285167 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On an air ambulance flight from pzo to phx with critically ill patient aboard with flight following from ZAB we were handed off to luke approach 40-50 mi west northwest of phx. We asked luke to coordinate our class B clearance with phx since we had a critical patient and were 'in a hurry.' luke approach said they'd 'handle it' -- I then heard we 'were clearing' (not proper terminology), then we assigned an altitude and heading that put us in class B space north of glendale airport followed by a frequency change to phx approach. Both frequencys too busy to confirm the clearance and terminology without exiting the area and phx was already vectoring us for a downwind at sky harbor (runway 26R) nobody at phx approach or tower indicated that we weren't cleared -- but that's not comfortable in retrospect. I have experienced a history of unclr coordination between luke and phx, with the facilities so close they are going to turn me or someone else into class B space where there's going to be a choice between a traffic conflict or a class B 'bust' -- not a choice! We now file IFR into phx across this area even if it means delaying a critical medical transport. There is too much frequency congestion combined with poor coordination. We feel this problem acutely because we may initiate a medical flight from a remote location with no facilities or communication and be in class B space in 30 mins.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT WAS 'UNCOMFORTABLE' WITH THE PHRASEOLOGY THE CTLR USED TO ASCERTAIN THE VFR FLT WAS IN FACT 'CLRED' INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE.
Narrative: ON AN AIR AMBULANCE FLT FROM PZO TO PHX WITH CRITICALLY ILL PATIENT ABOARD WITH FLT FOLLOWING FROM ZAB WE WERE HANDED OFF TO LUKE APCH 40-50 MI W NW OF PHX. WE ASKED LUKE TO COORDINATE OUR CLASS B CLRNC WITH PHX SINCE WE HAD A CRITICAL PATIENT AND WERE 'IN A HURRY.' LUKE APCH SAID THEY'D 'HANDLE IT' -- I THEN HEARD WE 'WERE CLRING' (NOT PROPER TERMINOLOGY), THEN WE ASSIGNED AN ALT AND HDG THAT PUT US IN CLASS B SPACE N OF GLENDALE ARPT FOLLOWED BY A FREQ CHANGE TO PHX APCH. BOTH FREQS TOO BUSY TO CONFIRM THE CLRNC AND TERMINOLOGY WITHOUT EXITING THE AREA AND PHX WAS ALREADY VECTORING US FOR A DOWNWIND AT SKY HARBOR (RWY 26R) NOBODY AT PHX APCH OR TWR INDICATED THAT WE WEREN'T CLRED -- BUT THAT'S NOT COMFORTABLE IN RETROSPECT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A HISTORY OF UNCLR COORD BTWN LUKE AND PHX, WITH THE FACILITIES SO CLOSE THEY ARE GOING TO TURN ME OR SOMEONE ELSE INTO CLASS B SPACE WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHOICE BTWN A TFC CONFLICT OR A CLASS B 'BUST' -- NOT A CHOICE! WE NOW FILE IFR INTO PHX ACROSS THIS AREA EVEN IF IT MEANS DELAYING A CRITICAL MEDICAL TRANSPORT. THERE IS TOO MUCH FREQ CONGESTION COMBINED WITH POOR COORD. WE FEEL THIS PROB ACUTELY BECAUSE WE MAY INITIATE A MEDICAL FLT FROM A REMOTE LOCATION WITH NO FACILITIES OR COM AND BE IN CLASS B SPACE IN 30 MINS.
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.