Narrative:

Xa:45 6/wed/02, en route from paso robles to seattle. VFR with flight following from stockton approach. I was riding with fellow pilot who is private rated and is considering attaining an IFR rating. Pilot flying missed ATC hand-off. Second call from controller was very snide/derogatory in tone and verbiage. Asked 'if aircraft X was listening to him?' aircraft X replied that he was receiving him. ATC then (in same condescending manner) asks if we intend to follow his directions at this time. I (non-flying pilot) replied to controller that the pilot had 'obviously missed his call and if he would merely repeat it, the pilot might learn something and that he would be ok as well.' ATC replied that 'if that was my attitude then he was canceling radar service and good bye.' I made several attempts at requesting ATC provide service to us despite his attitude but he refused. I made the point that he had no good reason to deny us service and he then states that he was 'too busy' I had heard only one other aircraft on his frequency. We repeatedly asked for a name and contact number from him but were refused. I then states that I was making a 'formal complaint' and asked that he 'pull the tapes' on our interaction. I then stated that I would need a contact number for his office. Again, he refused any assistance or phone number or name. He said 'I can try calling the la regional office if I like.' we could not establish any further contact with the controller. My primary concern is that new pilots trying to learn a complex ATC system are very poorly served by ATC who choose to berate and belittle them rather than provide service balances with a little patience.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCK APCH CTLR BEGAN TALKING IN A CONDESCENDING TONE AFTER THE PLT MISSED TWO XMISSIONS, THEN CANCELS RADAR SVC.

Narrative: XA:45 6/WED/02, ENRTE FROM PASO ROBLES TO SEATTLE. VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING FROM STOCKTON APCH. I WAS RIDING WITH FELLOW PLT WHO IS PRIVATE RATED AND IS CONSIDERING ATTAINING AN IFR RATING. PLT FLYING MISSED ATC HAND-OFF. SECOND CALL FROM CTLR WAS VERY SNIDE/DEROGATORY IN TONE AND VERBIAGE. ASKED 'IF ACFT X WAS LISTENING TO HIM?' ACFT X REPLIED THAT HE WAS RECEIVING HIM. ATC THEN (IN SAME CONDESCENDING MANNER) ASKS IF WE INTEND TO FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIONS AT THIS TIME. I (NON-FLYING PLT) REPLIED TO CTLR THAT THE PLT HAD 'OBVIOUSLY MISSED HIS CALL AND IF HE WOULD MERELY REPEAT IT, THE PLT MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING AND THAT HE WOULD BE OK AS WELL.' ATC REPLIED THAT 'IF THAT WAS MY ATTITUDE THEN HE WAS CANCELING RADAR SVC AND GOOD BYE.' I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT REQUESTING ATC PROVIDE SVC TO US DESPITE HIS ATTITUDE BUT HE REFUSED. I MADE THE POINT THAT HE HAD NO GOOD REASON TO DENY US SVC AND HE THEN STATES THAT HE WAS 'TOO BUSY' I HAD HEARD ONLY ONE OTHER ACFT ON HIS FREQ. WE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR A NAME AND CONTACT NUMBER FROM HIM BUT WERE REFUSED. I THEN STATES THAT I WAS MAKING A 'FORMAL COMPLAINT' AND ASKED THAT HE 'PULL THE TAPES' ON OUR INTERACTION. I THEN STATED THAT I WOULD NEED A CONTACT NUMBER FOR HIS OFFICE. AGAIN, HE REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE OR PHONE NUMBER OR NAME. HE SAID 'I CAN TRY CALLING THE LA REGIONAL OFFICE IF I LIKE.' WE COULD NOT ESTABLISH ANY FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE CTLR. MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT NEW PLTS TRYING TO LEARN A COMPLEX ATC SYSTEM ARE VERY POORLY SERVED BY ATC WHO CHOOSE TO BERATE AND BELITTLE THEM RATHER THAN PROVIDE SVC BALANCES WITH A LITTLE PATIENCE.

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.