Narrative:

2 military spc's were in right-hand traffic pattern for runway 16 at night. Air carrier X light transport was on a visibility approach to the airport and coordinated for runway 16. The tower local controller noticed air carrier X landing light and it appeared to be on the air traffic area boundary. No contact was made with air carrier X. Local controller called ZJX on the hotline and asked them to switch the air carrier X for traffic and sequencing. One of the spc's was on short final and the other was on a right base with air carrier X 3 mi out, well inside the air traffic area. Air carrier X finally was in contact with tower, who immediately gave traffic. Air carrier X said he was cleared for a visibility approach to runway 22 instead of 16. Air carrier X still had to make a left 365 degree turn, and was cleared to land on runway 22 after the spc landed on runway 16. Center admitted giving air carrier X the wrong runway. Switching aircraft inside the air traffic area by the center is a common occurrence here, and is against letters of agreement and ATP manual 7110.65. A BRITE scope is needed here in order to sequence traffic. The center is not adequately trained to run a terminal approach facility since they are en route controllers. Many of these incidents are not reported unless they become critical. The sector controllers will work an en route area, then occasionally work the approach at aby. I have heard that other feeder airline pilots have filed NASA reports, but the situation doesn't change. Terminal controllers (tower) should work the approach control at this airport.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLEARED ACR X FOR VISUAL APCH TO WRONG ARTCC ATCT INTERFAC COORD RWY. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: 2 MIL SPC'S WERE IN RIGHT-HAND TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 16 AT NIGHT. ACR X LTT WAS ON A VIS APCH TO THE ARPT AND COORDINATED FOR RWY 16. THE TWR LCL CTLR NOTICED ACR X LNDG LIGHT AND IT APPEARED TO BE ON THE ATA BOUNDARY. NO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ACR X. LCL CTLR CALLED ZJX ON THE HOTLINE AND ASKED THEM TO SWITCH THE ACR X FOR TFC AND SEQUENCING. ONE OF THE SPC'S WAS ON SHORT FINAL AND THE OTHER WAS ON A RIGHT BASE WITH ACR X 3 MI OUT, WELL INSIDE THE ATA. ACR X FINALLY WAS IN CONTACT WITH TWR, WHO IMMEDIATELY GAVE TFC. ACR X SAID HE WAS CLRED FOR A VIS APCH TO RWY 22 INSTEAD OF 16. ACR X STILL HAD TO MAKE A LEFT 365 DEG TURN, AND WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 22 AFTER THE SPC LANDED ON RWY 16. CENTER ADMITTED GIVING ACR X THE WRONG RWY. SWITCHING ACFT INSIDE THE ATA BY THE CENTER IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE HERE, AND IS AGAINST LETTERS OF AGREEMENT AND ATP MANUAL 7110.65. A BRITE SCOPE IS NEEDED HERE IN ORDER TO SEQUENCE TFC. THE CENTER IS NOT ADEQUATELY TRAINED TO RUN A TERMINAL APCH FAC SINCE THEY ARE ENRTE CTLRS. MANY OF THESE INCIDENTS ARE NOT RPTED UNLESS THEY BECOME CRITICAL. THE SECTOR CTLRS WILL WORK AN ENRTE AREA, THEN OCCASIONALLY WORK THE APCH AT ABY. I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER FEEDER AIRLINE PLTS HAVE FILED NASA RPTS, BUT THE SITUATION DOESN'T CHANGE. TERMINAL CTLRS (TWR) SHOULD WORK THE APCH CTL AT THIS ARPT.

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.