Narrative:

I was flying in the traffic pattern when I was cleared to land on the downwind leg. I had turned my base leg when the ATC taxied an airplane onto the runway for position and hold. Then after I was cleared to land told me to go around. I added power, proceeded with my go around. At 500 ft AGL, I turned my crosswind leg. The ATC then stated I was wrong for turning, and that pattern altitude is 1100 ft. I feel that this controller created a safety hazard at my airport for these reasons. 1) created a hostile cockpit environment. 2) created a safety hazard by wasting air time complaining. 3) made me go around purposely by telling the other aircraft to hold position on the runway. This controller is wrong. There are no stipulations in the regulations, nor are there any pubs in the AFD, stating that I can't turn crosswind at 500 ft AGL. There are no pubs stating that I need to 'fly to the end of the runway before turning crosswind.' I am a CFI. I know my airport, I know the rules.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN L2 CFI PLT IS UPSET WITH THE LCL CTLR'S CRITICISM OF HIS GAR PROC WHEN TURNING THE XWIND SHORT OF MIDFIELD AT 500 FT AGL AT SJC, CA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IN THE TFC PATTERN WHEN I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. I HAD TURNED MY BASE LEG WHEN THE ATC TAXIED AN AIRPLANE ONTO THE RWY FOR POS AND HOLD. THEN AFTER I WAS CLRED TO LAND TOLD ME TO GO AROUND. I ADDED PWR, PROCEEDED WITH MY GAR. AT 500 FT AGL, I TURNED MY XWIND LEG. THE ATC THEN STATED I WAS WRONG FOR TURNING, AND THAT PATTERN ALT IS 1100 FT. I FEEL THAT THIS CTLR CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD AT MY ARPT FOR THESE REASONS. 1) CREATED A HOSTILE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT. 2) CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD BY WASTING AIR TIME COMPLAINING. 3) MADE ME GO AROUND PURPOSELY BY TELLING THE OTHER ACFT TO HOLD POS ON THE RWY. THIS CTLR IS WRONG. THERE ARE NO STIPULATIONS IN THE REGS, NOR ARE THERE ANY PUBS IN THE AFD, STATING THAT I CAN'T TURN XWIND AT 500 FT AGL. THERE ARE NO PUBS STATING THAT I NEED TO 'FLY TO THE END OF THE RWY BEFORE TURNING XWIND.' I AM A CFI. I KNOW MY ARPT, I KNOW THE RULES.

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.