Charter small transport landed on the wrong runway at sbn.

Attributes
ACN	158152
Time
Date	199009
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sbn
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sbn tower : sbn
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	158152
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While en route to sbn in from azo a radio or communication problem resulted in a misunderstanding of clrncs and a traffic delay at the airport. After being handed off by azo departure, I listened to the ATIS. Sbn was using runways 9 and 18. I then contacted approach. Approach: 'small transport identify maintain 4000, proceed direct giper VOR, expect a visibility.' I read this back and upon reaching VOR (northeast of airport) I called again reporting my position. Approach: 'maintain 4000, you're #2, traffic is small aircraft 2 1/2 mi north runway 9.' I read this back and proceeded toward the airport. By now I was only 6-8 mi from the airport (northeast) and wondered why they wanted me this high so close when approach called back. Approach: 'small transport identify cleared for visibility, contact tower.' I read this back, reduced power for descent and contacted tower: 'sbn tower, small transport identify with you on a visibility.' tower: 'proceed.' at this time I was only about 3-4 mi from airport. I was a little surprised at tower only saying 'proceed,' so I called them again as I entered a downwind for runway 9. No reply. As I approached my turn to base I called again. Tower: 'small transport, what are your intentions? Approach cleared you for 18.' I was already on downwind for runway 9. Runway 18 was well behind me. I replied that I was only told I was #2 and my traffic was 2 1/2 north for 9. No mention of 18 was heard. Tower cleared me to land on 9 and asked me to call tower on the phone. The controller told me that they had been trying to contact me several times, that they had not heard any of my readbacks and that in event of radio failure I should have proceeded according to my last clearance and landed on 18. He also said I was never cleared for a visibility and that I descended on my own. I told him that I never heard anything about runway 18 (except for ATIS) and I had not reason to believe radio communication was lost as I heard other traffic as well. I went back to the plane and contacted ground control for a radio check. Everything was fine. I then called my director of operations and explained. I returned 2 1/2 hours later with no problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER SMT LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY AT SBN.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO SBN IN FROM AZO A RADIO OR COM PROB RESULTED IN A MISUNDERSTANDING OF CLRNCS AND A TFC DELAY AT THE ARPT. AFTER BEING HANDED OFF BY AZO DEP, I LISTENED TO THE ATIS. SBN WAS USING RWYS 9 AND 18. I THEN CONTACTED APCH. APCH: 'SMT IDENT MAINTAIN 4000, PROCEED DIRECT GIPER VOR, EXPECT A VIS.' I READ THIS BACK AND UPON REACHING VOR (NE OF ARPT) I CALLED AGAIN RPTING MY POS. APCH: 'MAINTAIN 4000, YOU'RE #2, TFC IS SMA 2 1/2 MI N RWY 9.' I READ THIS BACK AND PROCEEDED TOWARD THE ARPT. BY NOW I WAS ONLY 6-8 MI FROM THE ARPT (NE) AND WONDERED WHY THEY WANTED ME THIS HIGH SO CLOSE WHEN APCH CALLED BACK. APCH: 'SMT IDENT CLRED FOR VIS, CONTACT TWR.' I READ THIS BACK, REDUCED PWR FOR DSNT AND CONTACTED TWR: 'SBN TWR, SMT IDENT WITH YOU ON A VIS.' TWR: 'PROCEED.' AT THIS TIME I WAS ONLY ABOUT 3-4 MI FROM ARPT. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED AT TWR ONLY SAYING 'PROCEED,' SO I CALLED THEM AGAIN AS I ENTERED A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9. NO REPLY. AS I APCHED MY TURN TO BASE I CALLED AGAIN. TWR: 'SMT, WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS? APCH CLRED YOU FOR 18.' I WAS ALREADY ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9. RWY 18 WAS WELL BEHIND ME. I REPLIED THAT I WAS ONLY TOLD I WAS #2 AND MY TFC WAS 2 1/2 N FOR 9. NO MENTION OF 18 WAS HEARD. TWR CLRED ME TO LAND ON 9 AND ASKED ME TO CALL TWR ON THE PHONE. THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT ME SEVERAL TIMES, THAT THEY HAD NOT HEARD ANY OF MY READBACKS AND THAT IN EVENT OF RADIO FAILURE I SHOULD HAVE PROCEEDED ACCORDING TO MY LAST CLRNC AND LANDED ON 18. HE ALSO SAID I WAS NEVER CLRED FOR A VIS AND THAT I DSNDED ON MY OWN. I TOLD HIM THAT I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT RWY 18 (EXCEPT FOR ATIS) AND I HAD NOT REASON TO BELIEVE RADIO COM WAS LOST AS I HEARD OTHER TFC AS WELL. I WENT BACK TO THE PLANE AND CONTACTED GND CTL FOR A RADIO CHK. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. I THEN CALLED MY DIRECTOR OF OPS AND EXPLAINED. I RETURNED 2 1/2 HRS LATER WITH NO PROB.

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.