C172 PLT WAS ISSUED CLRNC BELOW MVA AND IN VIOLATION OF FAR PART 91 PT 119; 'FLT BELOW 1000 FT IN CONGESTED AREA.

Narrative

FLYING A ROUTINE TRANSITION FOR TFC; I CALLED FOR THE I-5 TRANSITION S OVER LINDBERGH FIELD. I RECEIVED MY CLASS B AIRSPACE CLRNC AND PROCEEDED INTO THE AIRSPACE. ABOUT 2 MI INTO THE TRANSITION; THERE WAS A CALL FROM ANOTHER TFC ACFT PROCEEDING NBOUND. THE CTLR CLRED THE OTHER ACFT INTO LINDBERGH'S CLASS B AIRSPACE FOR THE NBOUND TRANSITION. AT THIS TIME THE CTLR TOLD ME 'ACFT X FLY OVER THE DIAGONAL TXWY AT 1000 FT.' I RESPONDED 'UNABLE 1000 FT.' AFTER 30 SECONDS OR SO; THE CTLR QUERIED ME AND ASKED 'WHY UNABLE 1000 FT?' I RESPONDED 'TERRAIN.' LINDBERGH FIELD IS 14 FT AGL IF I CAME OVER AT 1000 FT. I WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF 91.119 1000 FT CLRNC OVER A CONGESTED AREA. THE SECOND REASON I SAID UNABLE WAS I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT ALT FOR THE REASON; IF AN INBOUND ACFT HAD TO GO MISSED FOR SOME REASON; IT MIGHT MAKE THE CONDITIONS REAL RIPE FOR A CONFLICT -- SUCH AS NEAR MISS OR WORSE. IT WAS QUITE HAZY AT THE TIME. THE CTLR THEN RESPONDED 'CLB; MAINTAIN 2000 FT' WHICH I HAD NO TROUBLE COMPLYING WITH. AT 1700 FT I SPOTTED THE NBOUND TFC; RPTED THIS ACFT IN SIGHT AND SAID I WOULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. AT THAT POINT; THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION; CLRED AT 1500 FT SBOUND.' WHEN I EXITED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE; I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK VFR FREQ CHANGE APPROVED AND COULD I PLEASE CALL THE TWR WHEN I LAND. I SAID SURE. UPON LNDG; I CALLED THE TWR AND SPOKE TO A CTLR OTHER THAN I HAD BEEN TALKING TO WHEN I WAS FLYING AND EXPLAINED THE ABOVE. HE FELT I HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG AND THAT I WAS PIC. HE SAID HE WOULD SHARE THIS WITH THE OTHER CTLR; AND ALSO AGREED ON HOW I FELT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICT WITH ARRIVING ACFT. I ASKED IF THIS INCIDENT WAS GOING ANY FURTHER AND HE RESPONDED NO; THIS WAS IT; AND THANKED ME FOR THE CALL. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS INFO BECAUSE WE TRANSITION THAT RTE UP TO 10 TIMES A DAY; AND I FEEL I HAVE AN OUTSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS TWR. AND IF ATC TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING YOU'RE EITHER UNCOMFORTABLE WITH OR UNSURE; IT NEVER HURTS TO QUERY ATC AND GET SOME CLARIFICATION.