Narrative:

I flew to osh VFR arriving about xb:30 am. When I initially contacted the tower on arrival, I was given an entry point into the traffic pattern for runway 36. As I reported where requested, I was sequenced number 4. At that time: there appeared to be 4 or 5 aircraft in the touch and go pattern, at least 3 other inbound aircraft besides myself. After landing. I noticed 3 or 4 aircraft holding short or the runway waiting for departure. I was told to expedite exiting the runway. I could hear the controller apologizing for departure delays. I could tell that only one controller was working because he was transmitting on both tower and ground frequencies. At about xc:30 pm, I prepared for VFR departure. I found the ATIS not in operation, several other pilots made the same comment. I called tower controllers to be combined again (only 1 controller). The airport was even busier than it had been when I arrived. Most xmissions on the ground control frequency went unanswered. I was told to stand by at least 3 times. Communication was chaotic and incomplete. Several times I heard the tower controller ask who was where and several go around occurred. I believe the controller was doing the best job he could, but was just too overloaded with traffic for 1 person to handle. Service was not being provided to all pilots. I heard pilots being denied touch and go's. The ATIS had apparently been off the air for 30-40 (or more) mins because the 1 controller did not have time to record it. Osh is a contract tower. I believe the contractor should be investigated to find out if services are being provided as contracted. If the contract is being fulfilled, it should be re-examined to allow for greater staffing. This airport is an accident waiting to happen! Conversations with other pilots leave me to believe that situations as described are not uncommon at osh. Something needs to be done soon. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter's primary concern is that the controller appeared to be working local control, ground control, and clearance delivery all at the same time, thus not focusing on separation at the runway. The reporter does not frequent osh. In conversation with other pilot's at the FBO, the reporter was advised that this was 'normal operation' at osh.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA GA PLT INCURS DELAYS INTO, OUT, AND OPERATING ON OSH ARPT. RPTR PERCEIVES CTLR IS OVERWHELMED, WORKING ALL CTL TWR POSITIONS.

Narrative: I FLEW TO OSH VFR ARRIVING ABOUT XB:30 AM. WHEN I INITIALLY CONTACTED THE TWR ON ARRIVAL, I WAS GIVEN AN ENTRY POINT INTO THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 36. AS I RPTED WHERE REQUESTED, I WAS SEQUENCED NUMBER 4. AT THAT TIME: THERE APPEARED TO BE 4 OR 5 ACFT IN THE TOUCH AND GO PATTERN, AT LEAST 3 OTHER INBOUND ACFT BESIDES MYSELF. AFTER LNDG. I NOTICED 3 OR 4 ACFT HOLDING SHORT OR THE RWY WAITING FOR DEP. I WAS TOLD TO EXPEDITE EXITING THE RWY. I COULD HEAR THE CTLR APOLOGIZING FOR DEP DELAYS. I COULD TELL THAT ONLY ONE CTLR WAS WORKING BECAUSE HE WAS TRANSMITTING ON BOTH TWR AND GND FREQUENCIES. AT ABOUT XC:30 PM, I PREPARED FOR VFR DEP. I FOUND THE ATIS NOT IN OP, SEVERAL OTHER PLTS MADE THE SAME COMMENT. I CALLED TWR CTLRS TO BE COMBINED AGAIN (ONLY 1 CTLR). THE ARPT WAS EVEN BUSIER THAN IT HAD BEEN WHEN I ARRIVED. MOST XMISSIONS ON THE GND CTL FREQ WENT UNANSWERED. I WAS TOLD TO STAND BY AT LEAST 3 TIMES. COM WAS CHAOTIC AND INCOMPLETE. SEVERAL TIMES I HEARD THE TWR CTLR ASK WHO WAS WHERE AND SEVERAL GAR OCCURRED. I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS DOING THE BEST JOB HE COULD, BUT WAS JUST TOO OVERLOADED WITH TFC FOR 1 PERSON TO HANDLE. SVC WAS NOT BEING PROVIDED TO ALL PLTS. I HEARD PLTS BEING DENIED TOUCH AND GO'S. THE ATIS HAD APPARENTLY BEEN OFF THE AIR FOR 30-40 (OR MORE) MINS BECAUSE THE 1 CTLR DID NOT HAVE TIME TO RECORD IT. OSH IS A CONTRACT TWR. I BELIEVE THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO FIND OUT IF SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED AS CONTRACTED. IF THE CONTRACT IS BEING FULFILLED, IT SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED TO ALLOW FOR GREATER STAFFING. THIS ARPT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN! CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER PLTS LEAVE ME TO BELIEVE THAT SITUATIONS AS DESCRIBED ARE NOT UNCOMMON AT OSH. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE SOON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR'S PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT THE CTLR APPEARED TO BE WORKING LC, GC, AND CD ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THUS NOT FOCUSING ON SEPARATION AT THE RWY. THE RPTR DOES NOT FREQUENT OSH. IN CONVERSATION WITH OTHER PLT'S AT THE FBO, THE RPTR WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS 'NORMAL OP' AT OSH.

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.