Narrative:

At the end of my instrument flight from grand cayman at approximately XA45 pm on the date noted above, my controller stated to me on frequency, 'cleared for the visual runway 9.' while on final I saw another airplane landing on runway 27. I called back the controller to ask what was going on and he said, 'are you talking to the tower?' and I said no since of course he had not handed me off. He then told me to climb to 1000 ft which I did, and call the tower which I also did. When I called the tower he asked me, 'what are your intentions?' I said 'I was cleared for the approach and someone was landing on runway 27.' the tower controller informed me that I had not been cleared for the approach since he had not yet spoken to me. I, of course, did not argue with him but proceeded to follow his instructions and landed on runway 9. While I don't know what happened when the radio was not on, it seems to me that the approach controller probably spoke to the tower controller and they both knew full well what was going on, i.e., the approach controller cleared me and then forgot all about me and was surprised when he noted I was still talking to him. Therefore, in this instance 2 controllers appear to have been working the same runway without communicating with each other. It was a busy day with a lot of instrument flts in from grand cayman due to the private group finishing up a trip, and some confusion is understandable. However, the controller should be honest with the pilot, especially when creating a situation that could conceivably lead to a serious incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN APPARENT OP DEV IN APCH CLRNC INTERP. VISUAL APCH TO WRONG RWY.

Narrative: AT THE END OF MY INST FLT FROM GRAND CAYMAN AT APPROX XA45 PM ON THE DATE NOTED ABOVE, MY CTLR STATED TO ME ON FREQ, 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 9.' WHILE ON FINAL I SAW ANOTHER AIRPLANE LNDG ON RWY 27. I CALLED BACK THE CTLR TO ASK WHAT WAS GOING ON AND HE SAID, 'ARE YOU TALKING TO THE TWR?' AND I SAID NO SINCE OF COURSE HE HAD NOT HANDED ME OFF. HE THEN TOLD ME TO CLB TO 1000 FT WHICH I DID, AND CALL THE TWR WHICH I ALSO DID. WHEN I CALLED THE TWR HE ASKED ME, 'WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS?' I SAID 'I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND SOMEONE WAS LNDG ON RWY 27.' THE TWR CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH SINCE HE HAD NOT YET SPOKEN TO ME. I, OF COURSE, DID NOT ARGUE WITH HIM BUT PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND LANDED ON RWY 9. WHILE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE RADIO WAS NOT ON, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE APCH CTLR PROBABLY SPOKE TO THE TWR CTLR AND THEY BOTH KNEW FULL WELL WHAT WAS GOING ON, I.E., THE APCH CTLR CLRED ME AND THEN FORGOT ALL ABOUT ME AND WAS SURPRISED WHEN HE NOTED I WAS STILL TALKING TO HIM. THEREFORE, IN THIS INSTANCE 2 CTLRS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN WORKING THE SAME RWY WITHOUT COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER. IT WAS A BUSY DAY WITH A LOT OF INST FLTS IN FROM GRAND CAYMAN DUE TO THE PVT GROUP FINISHING UP A TRIP, AND SOME CONFUSION IS UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, THE CTLR SHOULD BE HONEST WITH THE PLT, ESPECIALLY WHEN CREATING A SIT THAT COULD CONCEIVABLY LEAD TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT.

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.