C182 on IFR training flight experienced confusion with N90 controller.

Attributes
ACN	582917
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dxr.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 18760 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	582917
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	583139
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I was PIC flying an instrument requalification flight with another pilot flying as safety pilot. Takeoff from bridgeport (sikorsky) en route to oxford, ct, for practice approachs. Contacted ny approach and was given transponder code and idented by ny approach. I was informed that there would be a delay of 30 mins to effect practice approachs to oxc. I then told ny approach that I would go to danbury for my practice approachs. The controller gave me a heading and told me to contact another ny controller, which I did. Made contact with ny approach on that frequency and proceeded to make 2 approachs into drx, as cleared by approach control and dxr tower. After that I flew back to oxc. Proceeded with approach clearance to oxc, and made contact with previous controller. He informed me that he had lost contact with me earlier, and had assumed that I had a mishap since we were not in contact. All this was in error on the controller's part as he misidented my flight with another! When I explained to him what transpired, he realized his error and was very apologetic to me for the mistake he had made. He acknowledged that he recalled the situation of my diverting to dxr and handing me off to the ny approach controller for that sector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 ON IFR TRAINING FLT EXPERIENCED CONFUSION WITH N90 CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS PIC FLYING AN INST REQUALIFICATION FLT WITH ANOTHER PLT FLYING AS SAFETY PLT. TKOF FROM BRIDGEPORT (SIKORSKY) ENRTE TO OXFORD, CT, FOR PRACTICE APCHS. CONTACTED NY APCH AND WAS GIVEN XPONDER CODE AND IDENTED BY NY APCH. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WOULD BE A DELAY OF 30 MINS TO EFFECT PRACTICE APCHS TO OXC. I THEN TOLD NY APCH THAT I WOULD GO TO DANBURY FOR MY PRACTICE APCHS. THE CTLR GAVE ME A HEADING AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT ANOTHER NY CTLR, WHICH I DID. MADE CONTACT WITH NY APCH ON THAT FREQ AND PROCEEDED TO MAKE 2 APCHS INTO DRX, AS CLRED BY APCH CTL AND DXR TWR. AFTER THAT I FLEW BACK TO OXC. PROCEEDED WITH APCH CLRNC TO OXC, AND MADE CONTACT WITH PREVIOUS CTLR. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD LOST CONTACT WITH ME EARLIER, AND HAD ASSUMED THAT I HAD A MISHAP SINCE WE WERE NOT IN CONTACT. ALL THIS WAS IN ERROR ON THE CTLR'S PART AS HE MISIDENTED MY FLT WITH ANOTHER! WHEN I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT TRANSPIRED, HE REALIZED HIS ERROR AND WAS VERY APOLOGETIC TO ME FOR THE MISTAKE HE HAD MADE. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE RECALLED THE SIT OF MY DIVERTING TO DXR AND HANDING ME OFF TO THE NY APCH CTLR FOR THAT SECTOR.

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.