Cpr X made wrong runway visual approach. Pilot deviation. Phf tower does not have authority to chang...

Attributes
ACN	161890
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf tower : phf
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	161890
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Cpr X understood 'cleared visibility runway 2,' so we were turning final runway 2. At 500' AGL we were told to go around. Started go around. We then asked why we had traffic in sight. Tower stated that approach had cleared us visibility runway 7., not runway 2, and if we cancelled IFR we could land. Cancelled and were cleared to land runway 7. We landed well clear of proceeding traffic. I am sure we were cleared visibility runway 2. Contacted tower after landing and was told that if norfolk approach clears IFR traffic (visibility or other approach) to a runway then the phf, tower does not have the authority to change runways. Approach was confused as to where we were going, so they wanted us to go around! The local controller cannot control traffic within the air traffic area! What is his job?!? Even if we were wrong, and I don't believe we were, the local controller should have the authority to change runways. What would happen in an emergency? This is a poor procedure policy and needs to be changed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: this analyst contacted the phf tower supervisor to see if the reporter's allegations about phf tower, orf approach control LOA were correct. The phf tower supervisor stated that the landing runway of an IFR aircraft, in the phf air traffic area and in VMC, could not be changed west/O coordination with orf approach control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR X MADE WRONG RWY VISUAL APCH. PLT DEVIATION. PHF TWR DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE LNDG IN ATA UNLESS ATCT TRACON INTERFAC COORD IS ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: CPR X UNDERSTOOD 'CLRED VIS RWY 2,' SO WE WERE TURNING FINAL RWY 2. AT 500' AGL WE WERE TOLD TO GO AROUND. STARTED GAR. WE THEN ASKED WHY WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT. TWR STATED THAT APCH HAD CLRED US VIS RWY 7., NOT RWY 2, AND IF WE CANCELLED IFR WE COULD LAND. CANCELLED AND WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 7. WE LANDED WELL CLR OF PROCEEDING TFC. I AM SURE WE WERE CLRED VIS RWY 2. CONTACTED TWR AFTER LNDG AND WAS TOLD THAT IF NORFOLK APCH CLRS IFR TFC (VIS OR OTHER APCH) TO A RWY THEN THE PHF, TWR DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE RWYS. APCH WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHERE WE WERE GOING, SO THEY WANTED US TO GO AROUND! THE LCL CTLR CANNOT CTL TFC WITHIN THE ATA! WHAT IS HIS JOB?!? EVEN IF WE WERE WRONG, AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE WERE, THE LCL CTLR SHOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE RWYS. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AN EMER? THIS IS A POOR PROC POLICY AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THIS ANALYST CONTACTED THE PHF TWR SUPVR TO SEE IF THE RPTR'S ALLEGATIONS ABOUT PHF TWR, ORF APCH CTL LOA WERE CORRECT. THE PHF TWR SUPVR STATED THAT THE LNDG RWY OF AN IFR ACFT, IN THE PHF ATA AND IN VMC, COULD NOT BE CHANGED W/O COORD WITH ORF APCH CTL.

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.

Cpr X made wrong runway visual approach. Pilot deviation. Phf tower does not have authority to change landing in air traffic area unless ATCT TRACON interfacility coordination is accomplished.