Local controller reporter questions operation of 2 landing aircraft simultaneously on intersecting r...

Attributes
ACN	154387
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : developmental
ASRS Report	154387
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During VFR conditions, a GA aircraft, used primarily for traffic survey purpose, requested inbound for landing. The aircraft was instructed to enter a left downwind for runway 28 to follow traffic landing runway 32. The pilot reported in sight the aircraft landing runway 32 and was subsequently instructed to maintain visible separation with that traffic and was cleared to land runway 28. Additionally, the aircraft in question was told of traffic in position holding on runway 28 to depart prior to his arrival. The pilot acknowledged and requested landing on runway 28, west of runway 32. This was considered an unusual request for most aircraft, however a normal operation for this pilot who flies twice a day, each week day, at the same airport in the same aircraft, and has been for several yrs. The request was approved. The aircraft in position on runway 28 and the aircraft landing runway 32 were both informed of the operation, and acknowledged. Both aircraft landed and were taxied to the ramp with out incident. The aircraft in position holding on runway 28 was then cleared for takeoff and departed with out incident. After reviewing the circumstances of the event, reviewing the regulations of handbook 7110.65F, and garnering the opinions of full performance level (fpl) controllers, we were unsure of the legality of this operation, and felt, for safety reasons, it should be brought to your attention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL CTLR REPORTER QUESTIONS OPERATION OF 2 LNDG ACFT SIMULTANEOUSLY ON INTERSECTING RWYS WITH A DEP ACFT HOLDING AT END OF RWY.

Narrative: DURING VFR CONDITIONS, A GA ACFT, USED PRIMARILY FOR TFC SURVEY PURPOSE, REQUESTED INBND FOR LNDG. THE ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 28 TO FOLLOW TFC LNDG RWY 32. THE PLT RPTED IN SIGHT THE ACFT LNDG RWY 32 AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISIBLE SEPARATION WITH THAT TFC AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 28. ADDITIONALLY, THE ACFT IN QUESTION WAS TOLD OF TFC IN POS HOLDING ON RWY 28 TO DEPART PRIOR TO HIS ARR. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED AND REQUESTED LNDG ON RWY 28, W OF RWY 32. THIS WAS CONSIDERED AN UNUSUAL REQUEST FOR MOST ACFT, HOWEVER A NORMAL OP FOR THIS PLT WHO FLIES TWICE A DAY, EACH WK DAY, AT THE SAME ARPT IN THE SAME ACFT, AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YRS. THE REQUEST WAS APPROVED. THE ACFT IN POS ON RWY 28 AND THE ACFT LNDG RWY 32 WERE BOTH INFORMED OF THE OP, AND ACKNOWLEDGED. BOTH ACFT LANDED AND WERE TAXIED TO THE RAMP WITH OUT INCIDENT. THE ACFT IN POS HOLDING ON RWY 28 WAS THEN CLRED FOR TKOF AND DEPARTED WITH OUT INCIDENT. AFTER REVIEWING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE EVENT, REVIEWING THE REGS OF HANDBOOK 7110.65F, AND GARNERING THE OPINIONS OF FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CTLRS, WE WERE UNSURE OF THE LEGALITY OF THIS OP, AND FELT, FOR SAFETY REASONS, IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTN.

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

Local controller reporter questions operation of 2 landing aircraft simultaneously on intersecting runways with a departure aircraft holding at end of runway.