Narrative:

Had just completed ILS followed by a low approach, left 270 degree departure from 30L at sjc. Sjc tower told us to cross the ILS at or above 1500'. We did so, then he called our turn toward rhv and told us to contact the tower 126.1 at 1500'. We contacted rhv tower immediately and stated that we were almost at the highway interchange for landing, negative ATIS. The controller responded, 'make a base turn for 13L.' we responded that we needed to lose altitude and asked for a 360 degree turn. He told us to make a 360 degree turn over the interchange. We did so, then told him we were starting a base turn. He said at that time to make left traffic for 13L. We were confused because that did not seem possible (see diagram). We told him that we were aborting our approach and climbing back to the interchange. Again he said to make left traffic for 13L. He also told us to climb. I wanted to clear the final area for 13R and left for we just had seen traffic landing on 13L. I headed north, climbed and proceeded back to the interchange. At this time I may have crossed the line into the sjc arsa. I am not sure--tower did not advise. At this time I turned on my landing light for visibility and told the tower we were back over the interchange. He now said they had just changed runways and that 31R and left was in use and to make left traffic for 31L. I responded that I understood left traffic 31L and proceeded to do so. A female controller now got on the frequency, told me of traffic to follow and that I was cleared to land. I followed traffic and made a poor approach leaving me high. I told the controller I was going around. She responded to make left traffic. I turned downwind, she told me of traffic to follow (again) and cleared me to land. I landed with no problems this time. Ground told me to taxi to parking. My copilot and I both heard left traffic 13L, which we were confused by due to our position. I am concerned that I did not follow their instructions though I tried and I also repeated every action I made back to the controller. I think there was general confusion when the runways changed for both pilot and controller. I am also concerned in my attempt to climb and go back to the interchange, I may have crossed over into the sjc arsa. When runways are being change due to wind there needs to be a clearer set of procedures for aircraft in the air traffic area or approaching the air traffic area to follow. I have seen this same type of confusion going into sjc. Also problems arise when runways are the reverse of each other--31 and 13.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ENTERING ATA AFTER DEPARTING ARSA. CLEARED TO BASE LEG ENTRY,, FELT TOO HIGH, ASKED FOR 360 DEGREE TURN TO DESCEND. CONFUSION REGARDING WHICH RWY ON RETURN TO PATTERN. THEN RWYS IN USE CHANGED. WHILE CIRCLING BELIEVES MAY HAVE RE-ENTERED ARSA.

Narrative: HAD JUST COMPLETED ILS FOLLOWED BY A LOW APCH, LEFT 270 DEG DEP FROM 30L AT SJC. SJC TWR TOLD US TO CROSS THE ILS AT OR ABOVE 1500'. WE DID SO, THEN HE CALLED OUR TURN TOWARD RHV AND TOLD US TO CONTACT THE TWR 126.1 AT 1500'. WE CONTACTED RHV TWR IMMEDIATELY AND STATED THAT WE WERE ALMOST AT THE HWY INTERCHANGE FOR LNDG, NEGATIVE ATIS. THE CTLR RESPONDED, 'MAKE A BASE TURN FOR 13L.' WE RESPONDED THAT WE NEEDED TO LOSE ALT AND ASKED FOR A 360 DEG TURN. HE TOLD US TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN OVER THE INTERCHANGE. WE DID SO, THEN TOLD HIM WE WERE STARTING A BASE TURN. HE SAID AT THAT TIME TO MAKE LEFT TFC FOR 13L. WE WERE CONFUSED BECAUSE THAT DID NOT SEEM POSSIBLE (SEE DIAGRAM). WE TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE ABORTING OUR APCH AND CLBING BACK TO THE INTERCHANGE. AGAIN HE SAID TO MAKE LEFT TFC FOR 13L. HE ALSO TOLD US TO CLB. I WANTED TO CLR THE FINAL AREA FOR 13R AND L FOR WE JUST HAD SEEN TFC LNDG ON 13L. I HEADED N, CLBED AND PROCEEDED BACK TO THE INTERCHANGE. AT THIS TIME I MAY HAVE CROSSED THE LINE INTO THE SJC ARSA. I AM NOT SURE--TWR DID NOT ADVISE. AT THIS TIME I TURNED ON MY LNDG LIGHT FOR VISIBILITY AND TOLD THE TWR WE WERE BACK OVER THE INTERCHANGE. HE NOW SAID THEY HAD JUST CHANGED RWYS AND THAT 31R AND L WAS IN USE AND TO MAKE LEFT TFC FOR 31L. I RESPONDED THAT I UNDERSTOOD LEFT TFC 31L AND PROCEEDED TO DO SO. A FEMALE CTLR NOW GOT ON THE FREQ, TOLD ME OF TFC TO FOLLOW AND THAT I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I FOLLOWED TFC AND MADE A POOR APCH LEAVING ME HIGH. I TOLD THE CTLR I WAS GOING AROUND. SHE RESPONDED TO MAKE LEFT TFC. I TURNED DOWNWIND, SHE TOLD ME OF TFC TO FOLLOW (AGAIN) AND CLRED ME TO LAND. I LANDED WITH NO PROBS THIS TIME. GND TOLD ME TO TAXI TO PARKING. MY COPLT AND I BOTH HEARD LEFT TFC 13L, WHICH WE WERE CONFUSED BY DUE TO OUR POS. I AM CONCERNED THAT I DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS THOUGH I TRIED AND I ALSO REPEATED EVERY ACTION I MADE BACK TO THE CTLR. I THINK THERE WAS GENERAL CONFUSION WHEN THE RWYS CHANGED FOR BOTH PLT AND CTLR. I AM ALSO CONCERNED IN MY ATTEMPT TO CLB AND GO BACK TO THE INTERCHANGE, I MAY HAVE CROSSED OVER INTO THE SJC ARSA. WHEN RWYS ARE BEING CHANGE DUE TO WIND THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEARER SET OF PROCS FOR ACFT IN THE ATA OR APCHING THE ATA TO FOLLOW. I HAVE SEEN THIS SAME TYPE OF CONFUSION GOING INTO SJC. ALSO PROBS ARISE WHEN RWYS ARE THE REVERSE OF EACH OTHER--31 AND 13.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.