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Piper PA28 pilot on IFR cross country in VFR conditions descended without ARTCC radar controller clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 543947 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rmg.airport |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 543947 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was on an IFR flight plan in VFR conditions, departure from fzg to rmg, at 4000 ft, 15 mi south of destination airport. I reported having the airport in sight. ZTL said I was cleared for a visual to runway 36. I repeated this back to him, 'cleared for visual to runway 36.' I held 4000 ft until I was within the 10 mi ring, then started to descend. Upon reaching 3500 ft, center called me and said I supposed to be at 4000 ft. I said that I had repeated back I was cleared for the visual. He said,' you were told to expect the visual,' maintain 3500 ft. I believed I was cleared for the visual, which meant I could start a descent without the 10 mi ring. Center did not correct me when I said 'cleared for the visual' if indeed I did misunderstand him, and he had told me to 'expect the visual.' if I did hear it wrong, and repeated it back to center wrong, he should have corrected me.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PIPER PA28 PLT ON IFR XCOUNTRY IN VFR CONDITIONS DSNDED WITHOUT ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLRNC.
Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN VFR CONDITIONS, DEP FROM FZG TO RMG, AT 4000 FT, 15 MI S OF DEST ARPT. I RPTED HAVING THE ARPT IN SIGHT. ZTL SAID I WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 36. I REPEATED THIS BACK TO HIM, 'CLRED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 36.' I HELD 4000 FT UNTIL I WAS WITHIN THE 10 MI RING, THEN STARTED TO DSND. UPON REACHING 3500 FT, CTR CALLED ME AND SAID I SUPPOSED TO BE AT 4000 FT. I SAID THAT I HAD REPEATED BACK I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. HE SAID,' YOU WERE TOLD TO EXPECT THE VISUAL,' MAINTAIN 3500 FT. I BELIEVED I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL, WHICH MEANT I COULD START A DSCNT WITHOUT THE 10 MI RING. CTR DID NOT CORRECT ME WHEN I SAID 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' IF INDEED I DID MISUNDERSTAND HIM, AND HE HAD TOLD ME TO 'EXPECT THE VISUAL.' IF I DID HEAR IT WRONG, AND REPEATED IT BACK TO CTR WRONG, HE SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED ME.
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.