SMA ENCOUNTERS WX CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE A DIVERT DUE TO FUEL. PLT HAS COORD PROBS WITH ARTCC AND TRACON; WITH PLT DSNDING BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative

I WAS THE PLT ON AN IFR DIRECT FLT FROM MADISON; WI; TO CHARLESTON; SC. WE ENCOUNTERED STRONG HEADWINDS THAT MADE MY FUEL ESTIMATE WRONG AND I FOUND IT NECESSARY TO LAND FOR REFUELING. I ADVISED THE ZTL CTLR THAT THERE WOULD BE A CHANGE IN THE FLT PLAN AND THAT I PLANNED TO LAND AT GREENVILLE. I PICKED GREENVILLE BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE RTE. I WAS AT 7000 FT WHEN I ADVISED CTR OF THE CHANGE IN FLT PLAN AND ABOUT 40 MI FROM GREENVILLE. I REQUESTED LOWER ON THE INITIAL CALL. I DIDN'T GET A LOWER CLRNC AND ASKED 2 MORE TIMES IF I COULD BEGIN THE DSCNT. I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT HE COULD NOT GIVE ME LOWER UNTIL I SWITCHED TO TRI-CITY APCH. WHEN I WAS ASKED TO SWITCH TO TRI-CITY APCH; I WAS ABOUT 10 MI FROM THE FIELD AND AT 7000 FT. THE FIELD ELEVATION IS 1400 FT. TRI-CITY CTLR IMMEDIATELY INDICATED THAT ZTL HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND THAT I HAD IGNORED THE CALL. THAT BOTHERED ME BECAUSE IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN TRUE AND I ADVISED THE TRI-CITY CTLR THAT I HAD BEEN TALKING TO ATLANTA TO REQUEST LOWER. I FINALLY SAID THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED WAS PAST AND THAT I AM HERE NOW. I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR SAID CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND DSND AT PLT'S DISCRETION. I INDICATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TROUBLE GETTING LOW ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FIELD BUT WOULD TRY. AFTER SOME TIME THE CTLR INDICATED THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED TO 5000 FT. I WAS AT ABOUT 2800 FT AT THE TIME. I ATTEMPTED TO CLB. HE ASKED WHAT WERE MY INTENTIONS. I ADVISED THAT I WAS NOW ALMOST AT 5000 FT AND OVER THE FIELD. I WOULD CANCEL IFR AND REQUEST VECTORS TO THE FIELD. HE DID NOT GIVE VECTORS; GAVE THE WRONG FREQ FOR UNICOM AND ASKED THAT I CONTACT THE FACILITY WHEN I WAS ON THE GND AND GAVE ME THE TELEPHONE NUMBER. I LANDED NORMALLY. WHEN I CALLED THE FACILITY; I WAS TOLD THEY HAD A SHIFT CHANGE AND THE CTLR HAD LEFT FOR THE DAY. HE HAD LEFT NO MESSAGES AND TO DISREGARD THE MATTER. THE BAL OF THE FLT TO CHARLESTON WAS NORMAL. LESSONS: I HAVE FOUND THAT CTLRS ARE VERY HELPFUL. THIS IS THE FIRST CTLR I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH AN ATTITUDE. THE INITIAL ACCUSATION FOLLOWED BY ARGUMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I DON'T BELIEVE I READ BACK THE CLRNC. I WILL BE MUCH MORE CAREFUL ABOUT READBACKS TO AVOID CONFUSION ABOUT ASSIGNED ALTS. FORTUNATELY THE WX WAS GOOD VFR AND THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA.