Flight crew reports of confusion between lack of NOTAM for temporary tower; and the problem with ins...

Attributes
ACN	1171124
Time
Date	201405
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	VDZ.Airport
State Reference	AK
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Transport Low Wing 2 Turboprop Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 91 Flight Crew Total 1577 Flight Crew Type 220
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Glider
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 63 Flight Crew Total 7304 Flight Crew Type 2021
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Ground Conflict Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft

Narrative:

We were cleared for the visual approach into vdz about 20NM out; we were informed by center of disabled aircraft on the east end of the runway and that a portion of the runway was closed. We determined there was enough runway for us to land. The weather was clear VFR. Vdz had an event and a temporary 'tower' was set up and in operation due to the large volume of aircraft flying in and out of the airport that day (there was no NOTAM about this). When we contacted the 'tower' he advised us to make a 360 degree turn so that airport maintenance can remove the disabled airplane. We complied as the weather was clear and we were able to maintain clear of any obstacles. Another aircraft then contacted us on the valdez CTAF and instructed us that center wanted us to make an immediate climb to 16;000 feet and to contact them. We contacted center and canceled our IFR flight plan. When the center controller inquired what had happened with our approach we explained that we were instructed to make a 360 degree by the 'tower'. After landing; we were asked to call center. The PIC called and explained our confusion as were doing as instructed by the tower controller and that safety was never in question as it was 'severe clear'. I spoke with an FAA representative later on and she explained that the temporary tower was for airport advisories only to help coordinate the large volume of aircraft that day. A NOTAM regarding the role of the temporary tower and controller would have prevented the confusion about whether or not we needed to contact anchorage center before complying with the instructions to circle.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Flight crew reports of confusion between lack of NOTAM for temporary Tower; and the problem with instructions from temporary Tower versus what controlling facility (Center) wanted the aircraft to do.

Narrative: We were cleared for the visual approach into VDZ about 20NM out; we were informed by Center of disabled aircraft on the east end of the runway and that a portion of the runway was closed. We determined there was enough runway for us to land. The weather was clear VFR. VDZ had an event and a temporary 'Tower' was set up and in operation due to the large volume of aircraft flying in and out of the airport that day (there was no NOTAM about this). When we contacted the 'Tower' he advised us to make a 360 degree turn so that airport maintenance can remove the disabled airplane. We complied as the weather was clear and we were able to maintain clear of any obstacles. Another aircraft then contacted us on the Valdez CTAF and instructed us that Center wanted us to make an immediate climb to 16;000 feet and to contact them. We contacted Center and canceled our IFR flight plan. When the Center Controller inquired what had happened with our approach we explained that we were instructed to make a 360 degree by the 'Tower'. After landing; we were asked to call Center. The PIC called and explained our confusion as were doing as instructed by the Tower Controller and that safety was never in question as it was 'severe clear'. I spoke with an FAA representative later on and she explained that the temporary Tower was for airport advisories only to help coordinate the large volume of aircraft that day. A NOTAM regarding the role of the temporary Tower and controller would have prevented the confusion about whether or not we needed to contact Anchorage Center before complying with the instructions to circle.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Flight crew reports of confusion between lack of NOTAM for temporary tower; and the problem with instructions from temporary tower versus what controlling facility (center) wanted the aircraft to do.