Private pilot gets confused by pdx tower controller instructions.

Attributes
ACN	346970
Time
Date	199609
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vuo airport : pdx
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	346970
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Called pdx clearance delivery on 119.00 and requested downwind departure to transition along north bank through troutdale. Destination, sunriver. Was told to call pdx tower on another frequency. Did as requested, made exact same request. Tower told me to proceed to south bank, which I did. Since tower had told me to stay out of class C airspace until radar idented I stayed on north bank in class D airspace. I called tower to remind them where I was. He told me I made an illegal left turn. Then he told me I could turn right any time. I tried to figure out what he meant, then he said 'we are not communicating.' he then said I had requested a midfield crossing. I told him I had not. He paused a long time (maybe listened to a tape?), then he came back and apologized for his mistake. Contributing factors: 1) he talked way too fast. 2) my wife and I debated what he wanted me to do. 3) there is confusion over north bank and south bank. Does south bank mean southern edge of washington land or southern edge of columbia river (in oregon)? 4) ATC thought I asked for a midfield crossing, in fact I asked for transition to troutdale along the north bank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT GETS CONFUSED BY PDX TWR CTLR INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: CALLED PDX CLRNC DELIVERY ON 119.00 AND REQUESTED DOWNWIND DEP TO TRANSITION ALONG N BANK THROUGH TROUTDALE. DEST, SUNRIVER. WAS TOLD TO CALL PDX TWR ON ANOTHER FREQ. DID AS REQUESTED, MADE EXACT SAME REQUEST. TWR TOLD ME TO PROCEED TO S BANK, WHICH I DID. SINCE TWR HAD TOLD ME TO STAY OUT OF CLASS C AIRSPACE UNTIL RADAR IDENTED I STAYED ON N BANK IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. I CALLED TWR TO REMIND THEM WHERE I WAS. HE TOLD ME I MADE AN ILLEGAL L TURN. THEN HE TOLD ME I COULD TURN R ANY TIME. I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE MEANT, THEN HE SAID 'WE ARE NOT COMMUNICATING.' HE THEN SAID I HAD REQUESTED A MIDFIELD XING. I TOLD HIM I HAD NOT. HE PAUSED A LONG TIME (MAYBE LISTENED TO A TAPE?), THEN HE CAME BACK AND APOLOGIZED FOR HIS MISTAKE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) HE TALKED WAY TOO FAST. 2) MY WIFE AND I DEBATED WHAT HE WANTED ME TO DO. 3) THERE IS CONFUSION OVER N BANK AND S BANK. DOES S BANK MEAN SOUTHERN EDGE OF WASHINGTON LAND OR SOUTHERN EDGE OF COLUMBIA RIVER (IN OREGON)? 4) ATC THOUGHT I ASKED FOR A MIDFIELD XING, IN FACT I ASKED FOR TRANSITION TO TROUTDALE ALONG THE N BANK.

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.