The NTSB has several (too many, actually ...) categories it uses to classify aviation incidents and accidents. Among them is the catch-all phrase "improper IFR," which the Board usually uses to describe a pilot executing procedures you won't find in the Aeronautical Information Manual. But there is no similar category for controllers who, for whatever reason, provide substandard and/or confusing service to pilots clearly suffering under a high workload. A good example of how the "improper IFR" label can be applied to controllers as well as pilots -- simultaneously -- occurred on January 23, 2003, when a Cirrus SR20 collided with power lines near San Jose, Calif. The Private pilot/owner was killed in the crash and the airplane was destroyed.The flight departed the Napa County Airport (APC) in Napa, Calif., with an intended destination of the Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV) in San Jose, Calif. Weather at RHV included a broken cloud layer at 1200 feet, an overcast layer at 8000 feet and visibility of four miles. During the initial portions of the flight after takeoff from Napa, controllers issued numerous radar vectors and altitude assignments to the pilot for traffic avoidance purposes. The NTSB's review of the radar data disclosed that the pilot complied with all instructions.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/probable-cause-30-extra-attention