Traffic pattern problem at sts, ca.

Attributes
ACN	466310
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sts.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sts.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1780 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	466310
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

No narrative. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated he was to report over sts by tower. Over sts he was directed to make a left turn to downwind leg, but he determined that would put him in the opposite direction of the traffic flow for the runway so he turned right instead. He said that due to frequency congestion that he could not get his intentions through to the controller. This airport is his home base and he says that it is a training tower. Often this causes problems in the traffic pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC PATTERN PROB AT STS, CA.

Narrative: NO NARRATIVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED HE WAS TO RPT OVER STS BY TWR. OVER STS HE WAS DIRECTED TO MAKE A L TURN TO DOWNWIND LEG, BUT HE DETERMINED THAT WOULD PUT HIM IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE TFC FLOW FOR THE RWY SO HE TURNED R INSTEAD. HE SAID THAT DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION THAT HE COULD NOT GET HIS INTENTIONS THROUGH TO THE CTLR. THIS ARPT IS HIS HOME BASE AND HE SAYS THAT IT IS A TRAINING TWR. OFTEN THIS CAUSES PROBS IN THE TFC PATTERN.

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.