B737-300. ATCT local controller did not know the crew was doing a 360 degree turn because they were ...

Attributes
ACN	506530
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lnk.airport
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lnk.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 328
ASRS Report	506530
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

On descent to lnk was cleared for visual approach and told to contact tower. We were at approximately 7000 ft 7 NM from runway heading about 090 degrees. We were high due to late descent clearance from msp ATC and strong tailwinds. After being cleared for the visual approach I advised approach control we need to turn to extend right downwind. I then switched to tower frequency. I don't remember if I had told ATC we were too high for the straight in approach to runway 14. When I switched to tower we had turned to a 320 degree heading but had slid to a left downwind due to strong xwinds, putting the runway behind us. Tower asked what we were doing. I advised them that we need a left 180 degree turn to intercept final course. At this point we were approximately 8 mi from airport. Descending to 3000 ft, we were then cleared to land runway 14. Tower asked me to call them via the phone. I talked to the controller and they were unsure what we were doing. There was a communication breakdown between me, approach, and tower. There was no loss of separation or sequencing with the maneuver (tower told me). But there could have been due to the lack of communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300. ATCT LCL CTLR DID NOT KNOW THE CREW WAS DOING A 360 DEG TURN BECAUSE THEY WERE HIGH. THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY COORDINATED THE TURN WITH THE APCH CTLR.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO LNK WAS CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH AND TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. WE WERE AT APPROX 7000 FT 7 NM FROM RWY HEADING ABOUT 090 DEGS. WE WERE HIGH DUE TO LATE DSCNT CLRNC FROM MSP ATC AND STRONG TAILWINDS. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH I ADVISED APCH CTL WE NEED TO TURN TO EXTEND R DOWNWIND. I THEN SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ. I DON'T REMEMBER IF I HAD TOLD ATC WE WERE TOO HIGH FOR THE STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 14. WHEN I SWITCHED TO TWR WE HAD TURNED TO A 320 DEG HDG BUT HAD SLID TO A L DOWNWIND DUE TO STRONG XWINDS, PUTTING THE RWY BEHIND US. TWR ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. I ADVISED THEM THAT WE NEED A L 180 DEG TURN TO INTERCEPT FINAL COURSE. AT THIS POINT WE WERE APPROX 8 MI FROM ARPT. DSNDING TO 3000 FT, WE WERE THEN CLRED TO LAND RWY 14. TWR ASKED ME TO CALL THEM VIA THE PHONE. I TALKED TO THE CTLR AND THEY WERE UNSURE WHAT WE WERE DOING. THERE WAS A COM BREAKDOWN BTWN ME, APCH, AND TWR. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OR SEQUENCING WITH THE MANEUVER (TWR TOLD ME). BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE LACK OF COM.

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.

B737-300. ATCT local controller did not know the crew was doing a 360 degree turn because they were high. They had previously coordinated the turn with the approach controller.