GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace plus gear up descent approach until tower con...

Attributes
ACN	186499
Time
Date	199108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ith
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ith
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing : go around
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop 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 : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	186499
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I called in 10 mi east to land at ithaca, ny. Tower said 'report 5 mi for right base runway 32'. At this time tower talked to a commuter coming in from the north at approximately the same altitude. I thought about the tower-commuter transmission and felt it was wise to keep watching to my right for the 'faster' commuter (my small aircraft cruises at 130 KTS). At about the 5 mi point I saw the commuter and realized it deserved attention. I concentrated on its course and diverted slightly to be sure my plane would pull in behind the commuter. When I was sure I was well behind the commuter I reported into the tower that I had pulled behind the commuter. I was within the 5 mi reporting distance and the tower objected. The haze made visual references difficult so I was not as aware of my 'closeness' to the airport as I should have been. I did concentrate on the commuter traffic more than the reporting point. My priority was safety. The tower controller did not make me aware of the commuter traffic. I made myself aware of the situation way before it could have become an issue and diverted slightly to insure a wide berth around (behind) the commuter. At the point I reported I was condemned by the controller for being closer than my 5 mi out reporting point. I was also still at my 'cruising' altitude of 3500 ft and had to descend rapidly. I slowed to 120 to drop the gear, did my gumps and put in 20 degree of flaps. On approach I realized my throttle and manifold pressure were much lower than a normal approach. Just before the runway as I was about to do my final gumps check the tower called 'check gear position'. They were up. Instead of attempting a landing I instituted an immediate go around. I probably would have caught the problem in my final gumps check, but in this case the tower controller did an excellent job. He may have prevented a gear up landing. But in any case it was a perfect example of pilot and tower working together.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE PLUS GEAR UP DSCNT APCH UNTIL TWR CTLR REMINDED THE RPTR TO CHK GEAR POS.

Narrative: I CALLED IN 10 MI E TO LAND AT ITHACA, NY. TWR SAID 'RPT 5 MI FOR R BASE RWY 32'. AT THIS TIME TWR TALKED TO A COMMUTER COMING IN FROM THE N AT APPROX THE SAME ALT. I THOUGHT ABOUT THE TWR-COMMUTER XMISSION AND FELT IT WAS WISE TO KEEP WATCHING TO MY R FOR THE 'FASTER' COMMUTER (MY SMA CRUISES AT 130 KTS). AT ABOUT THE 5 MI POINT I SAW THE COMMUTER AND REALIZED IT DESERVED ATTN. I CONCENTRATED ON ITS COURSE AND DIVERTED SLIGHTLY TO BE SURE MY PLANE WOULD PULL IN BEHIND THE COMMUTER. WHEN I WAS SURE I WAS WELL BEHIND THE COMMUTER I RPTED INTO THE TWR THAT I HAD PULLED BEHIND THE COMMUTER. I WAS WITHIN THE 5 MI RPTING DISTANCE AND THE TWR OBJECTED. THE HAZE MADE VISUAL REFS DIFFICULT SO I WAS NOT AS AWARE OF MY 'CLOSENESS' TO THE ARPT AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I DID CONCENTRATE ON THE COMMUTER TFC MORE THAN THE RPTING POINT. MY PRIORITY WAS SAFETY. THE TWR CTLR DID NOT MAKE ME AWARE OF THE COMMUTER TFC. I MADE MYSELF AWARE OF THE SITUATION WAY BEFORE IT COULD HAVE BECOME AN ISSUE AND DIVERTED SLIGHTLY TO INSURE A WIDE BERTH AROUND (BEHIND) THE COMMUTER. AT THE POINT I RPTED I WAS CONDEMNED BY THE CTLR FOR BEING CLOSER THAN MY 5 MI OUT RPTING POINT. I WAS ALSO STILL AT MY 'CRUISING' ALT OF 3500 FT AND HAD TO DSND RAPIDLY. I SLOWED TO 120 TO DROP THE GEAR, DID MY GUMPS AND PUT IN 20 DEG OF FLAPS. ON APCH I REALIZED MY THROTTLE AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE WERE MUCH LOWER THAN A NORMAL APCH. JUST BEFORE THE RWY AS I WAS ABOUT TO DO MY FINAL GUMPS CHK THE TWR CALLED 'CHK GEAR POS'. THEY WERE UP. INSTEAD OF ATTEMPTING A LNDG I INSTITUTED AN IMMEDIATE GAR. I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE PROBLEM IN MY FINAL GUMPS CHK, BUT IN THIS CASE THE TWR CTLR DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. HE MAY HAVE PREVENTED A GEAR UP LNDG. BUT IN ANY CASE IT WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF PLT AND TWR WORKING TOGETHER.

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.

GA small aircraft unauthorized penetration of airspace plus gear up descent approach until tower controller reminded the reporter to check gear position.