Air carrier aircraft lines up for runway at wrong airport and scattering traffic.

Attributes
ACN	210880
Time
Date	199204
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cxy airport : mdt
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cxy
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing : go around landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 34
ASRS Report	210880
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was working local control at capital city tower with 2 small aircraft's in the pattern, runway 12R traffic. I observed air carrier X, an medium large transport flight turning final for cxy runway 12 at cxy. Pilot should have been lining up for runway 13 at mdt. The pilot of air carrier X created a critical situation, unofficial pilot deviation! Small aircraft Y was on base leg for runway 12 to make a touch and go while air carrier X, starting final approach for cxy runway 12. Air carrier X created turbulence for small aircraft Y. Small aircraft Y climbed his aircraft and turned west away from air carrier X. Small aircraft Z was executing a touch and go runway 12 at cxy, small aircraft Z was starting rotation (lifting off) when air carrier X started going around on runway 12 cxy. I proceeded to talk to the pilot of small aircraft X telling him what I would do about climbing out, maximum climb rate, and turn right to get out of the turbulence created by air carrier X going around. My coaching (not my job) saved the aircraft encountering turbulence and a probably crash on upwind to crosswind. Air carrier flts, on other occasions, almost turned final for runway 12 cxy while executing a landing on runway 13 mdt. My peers advised they have seen it happen before!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT LINES UP FOR RWY AT WRONG ARPT AND SCATTERING TFC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING LCL CTL AT CAPITAL CITY TWR WITH 2 SMA'S IN THE PATTERN, RWY 12R TFC. I OBSERVED ACR X, AN MLG FLT TURNING FINAL FOR CXY RWY 12 AT CXY. PLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LINING UP FOR RWY 13 AT MDT. THE PLT OF ACR X CREATED A CRITICAL SITUATION, UNOFFICIAL PLTDEV! SMA Y WAS ON BASE LEG FOR RWY 12 TO MAKE A TOUCH AND GO WHILE ACR X, STARTING FINAL APCH FOR CXY RWY 12. ACR X CREATED TURB FOR SMA Y. SMA Y CLBED HIS ACFT AND TURNED W AWAY FROM ACR X. SMA Z WAS EXECUTING A TOUCH AND GO RWY 12 AT CXY, SMA Z WAS STARTING ROTATION (LIFTING OFF) WHEN ACR X STARTED GOING AROUND ON RWY 12 CXY. I PROCEEDED TO TALK TO THE PLT OF SMA X TELLING HIM WHAT I WOULD DO ABOUT CLBING OUT, MAX CLB RATE, AND TURN R TO GET OUT OF THE TURB CREATED BY ACR X GOING AROUND. MY COACHING (NOT MY JOB) SAVED THE ACFT ENCOUNTERING TURB AND A PROBABLY CRASH ON UPWIND TO XWIND. ACR FLTS, ON OTHER OCCASIONS, ALMOST TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 12 CXY WHILE EXECUTING A LNDG ON RWY 13 MDT. MY PEERS ADVISED THEY HAVE SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE!

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.