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Poor local controller attitude reported by a GA pilot during an near midair collision between 2 GA aircraft, a C170 and a piper archer, on a simultaneous approach to runway 3 at sdl, az.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 565307 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200211 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sdl.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | agl single value : 300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sdl.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 170 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sdl.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 565307 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 100 vertical : 50 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Tower was in a bad mood, all too common. I was in a hurry, as my generator won't run landing lights very long. I reported left downwind abeam. Tower told to follow archer on 6 mi final. I extended downwind 3 mi at 65 mph. I queried tower, 'where's the traffic?' really, I don't recall the reply, but I felt ok to turn base. I was 1 mi offset from final approach course. I was clear to land #2. I saw traffic ahead on final before, while on downwind. 1 mi from threshold, I decided to look behind and to my right. Traffic, right next to me, lights blazing! I added power and got mad. Closest I've ever been to a crash, nobody saw nobody. I called tower later and discussed situation. Tower previously told another aircraft (the one I almost hit?) to 'great off approach.' I don't know whose fault, some mine, I'm sure. Problems: sdl tower always grumpy, unhelpful if you're not turbine. Many aircraft, mixed types, poorly coordinated. Did I misidentify and cut off my traffic to follow? Lessons: never stop looking, saved 2 or more lives this very day. These flight schools fly 5 mi '747' patterns at 60 mph in busy airspace. Why? Push ATC to do it right. Share blame, some was mine. P.south. Sdl has had midair's before, and will again. We (GA pilots) need to better our relationship with phx towers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: POOR LCL CTLR ATTITUDE RPTED BY A GA PLT DURING AN NMAC BTWN 2 GA ACFT, A C170 AND A PIPER ARCHER, ON A SIMULTANEOUS APCH TO RWY 3 AT SDL, AZ.
Narrative: TWR WAS IN A BAD MOOD, ALL TOO COMMON. I WAS IN A HURRY, AS MY GENERATOR WON'T RUN LNDG LIGHTS VERY LONG. I RPTED L DOWNWIND ABEAM. TWR TOLD TO FOLLOW ARCHER ON 6 MI FINAL. I EXTENDED DOWNWIND 3 MI AT 65 MPH. I QUERIED TWR, 'WHERE'S THE TFC?' REALLY, I DON'T RECALL THE REPLY, BUT I FELT OK TO TURN BASE. I WAS 1 MI OFFSET FROM FINAL APCH COURSE. I WAS CLR TO LAND #2. I SAW TFC AHEAD ON FINAL BEFORE, WHILE ON DOWNWIND. 1 MI FROM THRESHOLD, I DECIDED TO LOOK BEHIND AND TO MY R. TFC, RIGHT NEXT TO ME, LIGHTS BLAZING! I ADDED PWR AND GOT MAD. CLOSEST I'VE EVER BEEN TO A CRASH, NOBODY SAW NOBODY. I CALLED TWR LATER AND DISCUSSED SIT. TWR PREVIOUSLY TOLD ANOTHER ACFT (THE ONE I ALMOST HIT?) TO 'GREAT OFF APCH.' I DON'T KNOW WHOSE FAULT, SOME MINE, I'M SURE. PROBS: SDL TWR ALWAYS GRUMPY, UNHELPFUL IF YOU'RE NOT TURBINE. MANY ACFT, MIXED TYPES, POORLY COORDINATED. DID I MISIDENTIFY AND CUT OFF MY TFC TO FOLLOW? LESSONS: NEVER STOP LOOKING, SAVED 2 OR MORE LIVES THIS VERY DAY. THESE FLT SCHOOLS FLY 5 MI '747' PATTERNS AT 60 MPH IN BUSY AIRSPACE. WHY? PUSH ATC TO DO IT RIGHT. SHARE BLAME, SOME WAS MINE. P.S. SDL HAS HAD MIDAIR'S BEFORE, AND WILL AGAIN. WE (GA PLTS) NEED TO BETTER OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PHX TWRS.
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.