Narrative:

The charter flight originated in haines, ak, with 2 passenger bound for excursion inlet in a PA28-180 archer. On approaching the area, I switched to the CTAF for the private strip (124.250) and initiated my first call approximately 3 mi out. I was aware of the light and buzzer system equipment for the strip and gave a 7-CLICK microphone callup for the system. As I approached my initial overhead of the strip (see attached 1) I noticed a grader on the runway and also noticed the absence of any lights. (This was to be my first time landing on the strip since the light system was installed). Upon noticing equipment on the runway, I initiated a second radio call on my #1 radio, 'excursion inlet traffic, cherokee overhead, landing southeast. Is the equipment exiting the runway?' I continued my overhead for a second time around to check on the position. When I first flew over, the grader was in position #1 on the runway. As I approached position C on my overhead I noticed that he had moved off the runway to parallel it in position #2. At this point I proceeded to set up my approach and announce my third radio call, 'excursion inlet traffic, aircraft X dogleg final landing southeast.' on short final I noticed that the grader was still in position #2 and planned my touchdown past his position to give better opportunity for a go around if need be. After touchdown, rollout, parking, and aircraft shutdown, the operator of the grader came over extremely upset that the light system had not been used and he did not know that I was landing. I explained to him that I had assumed that, since he was working on the runway, the lights possibly had been shut off, and if they had not, I had no clue as to why they did not come on. After a few moments of conversation, we came to the agreement that there was some miscom involved. On my part, I assumed wrongly that: the operator was monitoring the frequency, which they sometimes do. That he had seen me overfly the strip because he had moved. That the light system was not operating because he was working on the runway. Other observations that I feel contributed to the miscoms are my past experiences flying in other parts of ak. I have landed on many bush strips, and overflying the runway lets everyone know your landing. Sometimes these strips are the only flat, cleared out places for kids to play, so it has always been standard practice for me. However, what one person thinks is 'off the runway' is not what another might. Another observation he had made is that we (the company) should call ahead by telephone and advise them of our ETA. This will be our new procedure. Subsequent investigation of the #1 radio showed a possible problem with the tuning knob.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH UNCOORD LNDG PROC.

Narrative: THE CHARTER FLT ORIGINATED IN HAINES, AK, WITH 2 PAX BOUND FOR EXCURSION INLET IN A PA28-180 ARCHER. ON APCHING THE AREA, I SWITCHED TO THE CTAF FOR THE PVT STRIP (124.250) AND INITIATED MY FIRST CALL APPROX 3 MI OUT. I WAS AWARE OF THE LIGHT AND BUZZER SYS EQUIP FOR THE STRIP AND GAVE A 7-CLICK MIKE CALLUP FOR THE SYS. AS I APCHED MY INITIAL OVERHEAD OF THE STRIP (SEE ATTACHED 1) I NOTICED A GRADER ON THE RWY AND ALSO NOTICED THE ABSENCE OF ANY LIGHTS. (THIS WAS TO BE MY FIRST TIME LNDG ON THE STRIP SINCE THE LIGHT SYS WAS INSTALLED). UPON NOTICING EQUIP ON THE RWY, I INITIATED A SECOND RADIO CALL ON MY #1 RADIO, 'EXCURSION INLET TFC, CHEROKEE OVERHEAD, LNDG SE. IS THE EQUIP EXITING THE RWY?' I CONTINUED MY OVERHEAD FOR A SECOND TIME AROUND TO CHK ON THE POS. WHEN I FIRST FLEW OVER, THE GRADER WAS IN POS #1 ON THE RWY. AS I APCHED POS C ON MY OVERHEAD I NOTICED THAT HE HAD MOVED OFF THE RWY TO PARALLEL IT IN POS #2. AT THIS POINT I PROCEEDED TO SET UP MY APCH AND ANNOUNCE MY THIRD RADIO CALL, 'EXCURSION INLET TFC, ACFT X DOGLEG FINAL LNDG SE.' ON SHORT FINAL I NOTICED THAT THE GRADER WAS STILL IN POS #2 AND PLANNED MY TOUCHDOWN PAST HIS POS TO GIVE BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR A GAR IF NEED BE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, ROLLOUT, PARKING, AND ACFT SHUTDOWN, THE OPERATOR OF THE GRADER CAME OVER EXTREMELY UPSET THAT THE LIGHT SYS HAD NOT BEEN USED AND HE DID NOT KNOW THAT I WAS LNDG. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAD ASSUMED THAT, SINCE HE WAS WORKING ON THE RWY, THE LIGHTS POSSIBLY HAD BEEN SHUT OFF, AND IF THEY HAD NOT, I HAD NO CLUE AS TO WHY THEY DID NOT COME ON. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF CONVERSATION, WE CAME TO THE AGREEMENT THAT THERE WAS SOME MISCOM INVOLVED. ON MY PART, I ASSUMED WRONGLY THAT: THE OPERATOR WAS MONITORING THE FREQ, WHICH THEY SOMETIMES DO. THAT HE HAD SEEN ME OVERFLY THE STRIP BECAUSE HE HAD MOVED. THAT THE LIGHT SYS WAS NOT OPERATING BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING ON THE RWY. OTHER OBSERVATIONS THAT I FEEL CONTRIBUTED TO THE MISCOMS ARE MY PAST EXPERIENCES FLYING IN OTHER PARTS OF AK. I HAVE LANDED ON MANY BUSH STRIPS, AND OVERFLYING THE RWY LETS EVERYONE KNOW YOUR LNDG. SOMETIMES THESE STRIPS ARE THE ONLY FLAT, CLRED OUT PLACES FOR KIDS TO PLAY, SO IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ME. HOWEVER, WHAT ONE PERSON THINKS IS 'OFF THE RWY' IS NOT WHAT ANOTHER MIGHT. ANOTHER OBSERVATION HE HAD MADE IS THAT WE (THE COMPANY) SHOULD CALL AHEAD BY TELEPHONE AND ADVISE THEM OF OUR ETA. THIS WILL BE OUR NEW PROC. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION OF THE #1 RADIO SHOWED A POSSIBLE PROB WITH THE TUNING KNOB.

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.