Potential conflict ensues between a transiting VFR GA aircraft at 850 ft AGL 2 mi south of runway 1 ...

Attributes
ACN	557693
Time
Date	200208
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fai.tracon tower : fai.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : fai.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	557693
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was approaching fai from the southeast, had contacted approach and had been given a transponder code. They acknowledged radar contact. Fai is a TRSA. I was headed for a small, private airstrip (chena marina) which is about 2 mi west of fia. When I was about 5 mi out, approach handed me over to the tower. I was in radio contact with tower. My flight path required me to cross the approach path to runway 1L of fia at about a 90 degree angle 1-2 mi south of the airport. Runway 1L was active. Tower advised me of traffic, a C172 on approach to runway 1L. I saw the traffic and advised the tower. I continued on the same route. As I converged with the other airplane, I could see that I would pass in front of it, but at a closer proximity than I normally would have been comfortable with. Had I not been so close to fia, in a TRSA, in contact with tower, and presumably in their sight and on their radar, I would have maneuvered to reduce the proximity with the other airplane. But I figured that's what TRSA's are all about -- I assumed they would have directed me or the other airplane to a route that provided greater separation if they thought it appropriate. I passed in front of the other airplane as anticipated -- close, but not a 'near miss' in my opinion. My recollection is that the distance upon crossing was about 1000 ft (we were at about the same altitude). However, the other pilot freaked (I don't think she saw me until I was in front of her). She read the riot act to the tower and they subsequently called me and asked that I call them upon landing. When I discussed the matter with the tower personnel, they advised that, even in a TRSA, it was still my responsibility to maintain adequate separation from other aircraft. It seems I had an incorrect understanding of the level of scrutiny the controllers maintain. In the future, I will trust my own judgement of what's too close a little more and rely a little less on the controllers to direct my route such that 'adequate' separation is maintained (even though I still think that's what a TRSA is supposed to be for).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT ENSUES BTWN A TRANSITING VFR GA ACFT AT 850 FT AGL 2 MI S OF RWY 1 AND A C172 ON FINAL APCH FOR SAME RWY AT FAI, AK.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING FAI FROM THE SE, HAD CONTACTED APCH AND HAD BEEN GIVEN A XPONDER CODE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED RADAR CONTACT. FAI IS A TRSA. I WAS HEADED FOR A SMALL, PVT AIRSTRIP (CHENA MARINA) WHICH IS ABOUT 2 MI W OF FIA. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 5 MI OUT, APCH HANDED ME OVER TO THE TWR. I WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR. MY FLT PATH REQUIRED ME TO CROSS THE APCH PATH TO RWY 1L OF FIA AT ABOUT A 90 DEG ANGLE 1-2 MI S OF THE ARPT. RWY 1L WAS ACTIVE. TWR ADVISED ME OF TFC, A C172 ON APCH TO RWY 1L. I SAW THE TFC AND ADVISED THE TWR. I CONTINUED ON THE SAME RTE. AS I CONVERGED WITH THE OTHER AIRPLANE, I COULD SEE THAT I WOULD PASS IN FRONT OF IT, BUT AT A CLOSER PROX THAN I NORMALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN COMFORTABLE WITH. HAD I NOT BEEN SO CLOSE TO FIA, IN A TRSA, IN CONTACT WITH TWR, AND PRESUMABLY IN THEIR SIGHT AND ON THEIR RADAR, I WOULD HAVE MANEUVERED TO REDUCE THE PROX WITH THE OTHER AIRPLANE. BUT I FIGURED THAT'S WHAT TRSA'S ARE ALL ABOUT -- I ASSUMED THEY WOULD HAVE DIRECTED ME OR THE OTHER AIRPLANE TO A RTE THAT PROVIDED GREATER SEPARATION IF THEY THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE. I PASSED IN FRONT OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE AS ANTICIPATED -- CLOSE, BUT NOT A 'NEAR MISS' IN MY OPINION. MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE DISTANCE UPON XING WAS ABOUT 1000 FT (WE WERE AT ABOUT THE SAME ALT). HOWEVER, THE OTHER PLT FREAKED (I DON'T THINK SHE SAW ME UNTIL I WAS IN FRONT OF HER). SHE READ THE RIOT ACT TO THE TWR AND THEY SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED ME AND ASKED THAT I CALL THEM UPON LNDG. WHEN I DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH THE TWR PERSONNEL, THEY ADVISED THAT, EVEN IN A TRSA, IT WAS STILL MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SEPARATION FROM OTHER ACFT. IT SEEMS I HAD AN INCORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEVEL OF SCRUTINY THE CTLRS MAINTAIN. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TRUST MY OWN JUDGEMENT OF WHAT'S TOO CLOSE A LITTLE MORE AND RELY A LITTLE LESS ON THE CTLRS TO DIRECT MY RTE SUCH THAT 'ADEQUATE' SEPARATION IS MAINTAINED (EVEN THOUGH I STILL THINK THAT'S WHAT A TRSA IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR).

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.

Potential conflict ensues between a transiting VFR GA aircraft at 850 ft AGL 2 mi south of runway 1 and a C172 on final approach for same runway at fai, ak.