Narrative:

Departed sebastian, fl (X26), approximately XA00 for local pleasure flight (VFR) in stearman bi-plane. Passenger was retired air force KC135 pilot (ATP/cfii) with approximately 8000 hours total time. Pilot was private/sel, 700 hours total time, 130 hours time in type. During last phase of flight passenger requested we do a low pass at vrb for FBO personnel, a school where passenger taught. Vrb tower advised runway 04 in use, plan a downwind (left) for runway 04 and expect the low approach for runway 11 from the downwind. Passenger then requested we quickly radio FBO operations and give them an advisory. With advisory dialed into communication 1, I said (radios in rear cockpit only) 'ok, we got it...go ahead.' passenger contacted FBO operations and I then switched back to tower frequency and confirmed our position and intentions. I reduced power for descent from 2500 ft to tpa. Shortly thereafter, we entered a gentle right spiral descent approximately 400 FPM. After 2 turns, tower asked us what we were doing. I called back that we were 'spiraling down to tpa.' (approximately 2 mi nnw of tower.) tower excitedly chastised us 'not to do this in class D airspace. We should already be at tpa.' when aircraft reached 800 ft I took control (said 'I got it') and established us on the left downwind runway 04. Moments later I handed the aircraft over to the passenger, who completed the fly-by along runway 11 under tower approval. We thanked ATC and returned to X26. Upon landing, I discovered that the passenger had released the controls while we were approaching vrb. When I dialed in FBO and said 'ok, we got it, go ahead.' the passenger thought I said 'I got it' and relinquished control. The aircraft had been trimmed at approximately 100 mph. Continued by itself for (EST) 30 seconds prior to my power reduction. Upon reduction aircraft entered the gradual right turn as described. Total time aircraft not under control approximately 90 seconds (estimated). No traffic hazard or collision avoidance required. Conclusion: open cockpit bi-plane very noisy environment to communicate in. Will be much more careful with choice of words, and will require secondary confirmation for control transfer (either a shake of the stick by accepting pilot or visual acknowledgement via mirror under top wing).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A BOEING STEARMAN ACFT CLAIMS THAT NEITHER HE OR HIS PLT PAX WAS CTLING THE ACFT WHEN IT SPIRALED DOWN TO TFC PATTERN LEVEL CONTRARY TO TWR CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED SEBASTIAN, FL (X26), APPROX XA00 FOR LCL PLEASURE FLT (VFR) IN STEARMAN BI-PLANE. PAX WAS RETIRED AIR FORCE KC135 PLT (ATP/CFII) WITH APPROX 8000 HRS TOTAL TIME. PLT WAS PVT/SEL, 700 HRS TOTAL TIME, 130 HRS TIME IN TYPE. DURING LAST PHASE OF FLT PAX REQUESTED WE DO A LOW PASS AT VRB FOR FBO PERSONNEL, A SCHOOL WHERE PAX TAUGHT. VRB TWR ADVISED RWY 04 IN USE, PLAN A DOWNWIND (L) FOR RWY 04 AND EXPECT THE LOW APCH FOR RWY 11 FROM THE DOWNWIND. PAX THEN REQUESTED WE QUICKLY RADIO FBO OPS AND GIVE THEM AN ADVISORY. WITH ADVISORY DIALED INTO COM 1, I SAID (RADIOS IN REAR COCKPIT ONLY) 'OK, WE GOT IT...GO AHEAD.' PAX CONTACTED FBO OPS AND I THEN SWITCHED BACK TO TWR FREQ AND CONFIRMED OUR POS AND INTENTIONS. I REDUCED PWR FOR DSCNT FROM 2500 FT TO TPA. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE ENTERED A GENTLE R SPIRAL DSCNT APPROX 400 FPM. AFTER 2 TURNS, TWR ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING. I CALLED BACK THAT WE WERE 'SPIRALING DOWN TO TPA.' (APPROX 2 MI NNW OF TWR.) TWR EXCITEDLY CHASTISED US 'NOT TO DO THIS IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. WE SHOULD ALREADY BE AT TPA.' WHEN ACFT REACHED 800 FT I TOOK CTL (SAID 'I GOT IT') AND ESTABLISHED US ON THE L DOWNWIND RWY 04. MOMENTS LATER I HANDED THE ACFT OVER TO THE PAX, WHO COMPLETED THE FLY-BY ALONG RWY 11 UNDER TWR APPROVAL. WE THANKED ATC AND RETURNED TO X26. UPON LNDG, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PAX HAD RELEASED THE CTLS WHILE WE WERE APCHING VRB. WHEN I DIALED IN FBO AND SAID 'OK, WE GOT IT, GO AHEAD.' THE PAX THOUGHT I SAID 'I GOT IT' AND RELINQUISHED CTL. THE ACFT HAD BEEN TRIMMED AT APPROX 100 MPH. CONTINUED BY ITSELF FOR (EST) 30 SECONDS PRIOR TO MY PWR REDUCTION. UPON REDUCTION ACFT ENTERED THE GRADUAL R TURN AS DESCRIBED. TOTAL TIME ACFT NOT UNDER CTL APPROX 90 SECONDS (ESTIMATED). NO TFC HAZARD OR COLLISION AVOIDANCE REQUIRED. CONCLUSION: OPEN COCKPIT BI-PLANE VERY NOISY ENVIRONMENT TO COMMUNICATE IN. WILL BE MUCH MORE CAREFUL WITH CHOICE OF WORDS, AND WILL REQUIRE SECONDARY CONFIRMATION FOR CTL TRANSFER (EITHER A SHAKE OF THE STICK BY ACCEPTING PLT OR VISUAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT VIA MIRROR UNDER TOP WING).

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.