C177 private pilot complains of frequency and traffic congestion at dxr.

Attributes
ACN	458090
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dxr.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dxr.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 974 flight time type : 301
ASRS Report	458090
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

Was approaching danbury from southeast for landing. Called tower 12 mi out with my intentions. Was told by tower 'report 3 mi right base for runway 35.' I acknowledged. Entered base leg noting traffic on downwind and ahead on base. Called tower and reported on base with traffic in sight. Frequency extremely busy. Repeated call, no acknowledgement from tower. Continued in pattern and noticed several xmissions 'stepped on/blocked.' called tower again turning final. Tower acknowledged and said I told you to call on base. I replied I did/tried several times and was blocked. Tower affirmed this and cleared me to land. Contacted ground, taxied to FBO, discharged passenger and taxied to active. Called tower, got takeoff clearance, took off on course and reported clear upon departing class D -- tower acknowledged. Later that day at another airport, I mentioned how busy dxr was to another pilot. He told me they had just converted to a contract tower and all the controllers were new. At dxr this is compounded by the fact that there are hills southeast (and southwest) of the field that may partially obscure tower's view of traffic on base legs. The aircraft would come back into full view on turning final. A suggestion would be to sequence aircraft into the pattern when busy on downwind instead of base allowing more sequencing time and a clrer view to the tower. Also, pilots/controllers can attempt to keep xmissions concise and short. I believe as the new controllers become more familiar with the local environment and traffic, the situation will also improve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PVT PLT COMPLAINS OF FREQ AND TFC CONGESTION AT DXR.

Narrative: WAS APCHING DANBURY FROM SE FOR LNDG. CALLED TWR 12 MI OUT WITH MY INTENTIONS. WAS TOLD BY TWR 'RPT 3 MI R BASE FOR RWY 35.' I ACKNOWLEDGED. ENTERED BASE LEG NOTING TFC ON DOWNWIND AND AHEAD ON BASE. CALLED TWR AND RPTED ON BASE WITH TFC IN SIGHT. FREQ EXTREMELY BUSY. REPEATED CALL, NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM TWR. CONTINUED IN PATTERN AND NOTICED SEVERAL XMISSIONS 'STEPPED ON/BLOCKED.' CALLED TWR AGAIN TURNING FINAL. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID I TOLD YOU TO CALL ON BASE. I REPLIED I DID/TRIED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS BLOCKED. TWR AFFIRMED THIS AND CLRED ME TO LAND. CONTACTED GND, TAXIED TO FBO, DISCHARGED PAX AND TAXIED TO ACTIVE. CALLED TWR, GOT TKOF CLRNC, TOOK OFF ON COURSE AND RPTED CLR UPON DEPARTING CLASS D -- TWR ACKNOWLEDGED. LATER THAT DAY AT ANOTHER ARPT, I MENTIONED HOW BUSY DXR WAS TO ANOTHER PLT. HE TOLD ME THEY HAD JUST CONVERTED TO A CONTRACT TWR AND ALL THE CTLRS WERE NEW. AT DXR THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THERE ARE HILLS SE (AND SW) OF THE FIELD THAT MAY PARTIALLY OBSCURE TWR'S VIEW OF TFC ON BASE LEGS. THE ACFT WOULD COME BACK INTO FULL VIEW ON TURNING FINAL. A SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO SEQUENCE ACFT INTO THE PATTERN WHEN BUSY ON DOWNWIND INSTEAD OF BASE ALLOWING MORE SEQUENCING TIME AND A CLRER VIEW TO THE TWR. ALSO, PLTS/CTLRS CAN ATTEMPT TO KEEP XMISSIONS CONCISE AND SHORT. I BELIEVE AS THE NEW CTLRS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL ENVIRONMENT AND TFC, THE SIT WILL ALSO IMPROVE.

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.