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Pilot reporter cites delayed ATC handoff to tower as reason for traffic pattern deviation and entry into base leg.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 156133 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199009 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : gcn |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8800 msl bound upper : 8800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla tower : gcn |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other other |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9200 flight time type : 605 |
| ASRS Report | 156133 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other other |
Narrative:
Approaching gcn from flg we usually utilize a VFR climb direct when conditions permit. ZLA usually has control before handing us off to tower. As we were approaching the approach, company was departing (on the same VFR climb to flg). Meanwhile other aircraft managed to talk to center just enough such that center finally got around to clearing us for the visibility approach and sending us to the tower frequency when we were practically on top of the airport. This necessitated our breakout from the pattern to re-enter on a modified left base. We could have easily extended our downwind but we were getting close to the gcn special flight rules area. Basically we had to descend in a right 270 degree turn (admittedly, not the safest option) and re-enter our base to avoid violating an airspace requirement. The system is counterproductive when real safety is compromised for political/bureaucratic purposes. Prior to 9/88 this incident would not have occurred.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT REPORTER CITES DELAYED ATC HANDOFF TO TWR AS REASON FOR TRAFFIC PATTERN DEVIATION AND ENTRY INTO BASE LEG.
Narrative: APCHING GCN FROM FLG WE USUALLY UTILIZE A VFR CLB DIRECT WHEN CONDITIONS PERMIT. ZLA USUALLY HAS CTL BEFORE HANDING US OFF TO TWR. AS WE WERE APCHING THE APCH, COMPANY WAS DEPARTING (ON THE SAME VFR CLB TO FLG). MEANWHILE OTHER ACFT MANAGED TO TALK TO CENTER JUST ENOUGH SUCH THAT CENTER FINALLY GOT AROUND TO CLRING US FOR THE VIS APCH AND SENDING US TO THE TWR FREQ WHEN WE WERE PRACTICALLY ON TOP OF THE ARPT. THIS NECESSITATED OUR BREAKOUT FROM THE PATTERN TO RE-ENTER ON A MODIFIED LEFT BASE. WE COULD HAVE EASILY EXTENDED OUR DOWNWIND BUT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE GCN SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA. BASICALLY WE HAD TO DSND IN A RIGHT 270 DEG TURN (ADMITTEDLY, NOT THE SAFEST OPTION) AND RE-ENTER OUR BASE TO AVOID VIOLATING AN AIRSPACE REQUIREMENT. THE SYS IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE WHEN REAL SAFETY IS COMPROMISED FOR POLITICAL/BUREAUCRATIC PURPOSES. PRIOR TO 9/88 THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.
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.