Low time private pilot becomes disoriented at unfamiliar airport and with not much help from tower lands on wrong runway.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	450250
Time
Date	199909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hpn.tower tower : hpn.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : hpn.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Challenger Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 190 flight time type : 90
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac ground encounters other incursion : runway incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In sum: low time pilot flew through class B airspace and was handed off to a class D tower for landing. Clearance was given to enter downwind leg of traffic pattern, but due to unfamiliarity with airport, night flight conditions and low altitude pilot flew directly to the approach end of the runway. Controller and pilot exchanged words over not being able to see the runway and pilot turned across the approach end of active runway and passed within 100 ft of landing aircraft. Controller then vectored pilot clear of traffic area and subsequently for a new approach, however, pilot again became confused and landed on the wrong runway including short of the displaced threshold. Pilot conferred with controller to the benefit of both as well as seeking out the advice of his instructor in an extended session.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PVT PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED AT UNFAMILIAR ARPT AND WITH NOT MUCH HELP FROM TWR LANDS ON WRONG RWY.

Narrative: IN SUM: LOW TIME PLT FLEW THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE AND WAS HANDED OFF TO A CLASS D TWR FOR LNDG. CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO ENTER DOWNWIND LEG OF TFC PATTERN, BUT DUE TO UNFAMILIARITY WITH ARPT, NIGHT FLT CONDITIONS AND LOW ALT PLT FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE APCH END OF THE RWY. CTLR AND PLT EXCHANGED WORDS OVER NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE RWY AND PLT TURNED ACROSS THE APCH END OF ACTIVE RWY AND PASSED WITHIN 100 FT OF LNDG ACFT. CTLR THEN VECTORED PLT CLR OF TFC AREA AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOR A NEW APCH, HOWEVER, PLT AGAIN BECAME CONFUSED AND LANDED ON THE WRONG RWY INCLUDING SHORT OF THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD. PLT CONFERRED WITH CTLR TO THE BENEFIT OF BOTH AS WELL AS SEEKING OUT THE ADVICE OF HIS INSTRUCTOR IN AN EXTENDED SESSION.

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.