Narrative:

ATC told us to circle to left downwind for runway 23. Approach was swamped, and just before switching to craig tower, advised us of simultaneous approaching traffic at 3 O'clock position, on the ILS runway 32 (we were on the VOR runway 32) to crg. Tower advised us, not knowing of this traffic, to enter left downwind. Due to scattered clouds at 1500 ft, I was reluctant to turn right, onto downwind because I lost sight of the traffic. Instead, we made a left 360 degrees on the downwind to avoid overflying the field, while I attempted to call the tower. This was agonizing, due to frequency congestion! The ILS inbound traffic finally contacted craig tower, and tower told them to enter left downwind for runway 23. This incident happened due to the following reasons: 1) frequency congestion related to late handoffs, and 2 IFR aircraft authority/authorized for simultaneous instrument approachs, to the same runway, straight in? Congestion on tower frequency prevented adequate communication during the continuing separation issue. 2) traffic congestion inside the final approach fix of our approach. Before approach switched us to craig tower, pointing out conflicting traffic and then that conflicting traffic not coming up on craig tower's frequency for some time, also enhanced the problem. To avoid this in the future, approach should not authority/authorized simultaneous IFR approachs. If the local controller is going to request circle to land, they should relay this information to the approach controller who should inform the crews so that the approach can be adequately briefed before it is commenced.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA44 CFI EXERCISED COMMAND AUTH WHEN HE DISREGARDED INSTRUCTIONS FROM CRG TWR TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ATC TOLD US TO CIRCLE TO L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23. APCH WAS SWAMPED, AND JUST BEFORE SWITCHING TO CRAIG TWR, ADVISED US OF SIMULTANEOUS APCHING TFC AT 3 O'CLOCK POS, ON THE ILS RWY 32 (WE WERE ON THE VOR RWY 32) TO CRG. TWR ADVISED US, NOT KNOWING OF THIS TFC, TO ENTER L DOWNWIND. DUE TO SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 1500 FT, I WAS RELUCTANT TO TURN R, ONTO DOWNWIND BECAUSE I LOST SIGHT OF THE TFC. INSTEAD, WE MADE A L 360 DEGS ON THE DOWNWIND TO AVOID OVERFLYING THE FIELD, WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE TWR. THIS WAS AGONIZING, DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION! THE ILS INBOUND TFC FINALLY CONTACTED CRAIG TWR, AND TWR TOLD THEM TO ENTER L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1) FREQ CONGESTION RELATED TO LATE HDOFS, AND 2 IFR ACFT AUTH FOR SIMULTANEOUS INST APCHS, TO THE SAME RWY, STRAIGHT IN? CONGESTION ON TWR FREQ PREVENTED ADEQUATE COM DURING THE CONTINUING SEPARATION ISSUE. 2) TFC CONGESTION INSIDE THE FINAL APCH FIX OF OUR APCH. BEFORE APCH SWITCHED US TO CRAIG TWR, POINTING OUT CONFLICTING TFC AND THEN THAT CONFLICTING TFC NOT COMING UP ON CRAIG TWR'S FREQ FOR SOME TIME, ALSO ENHANCED THE PROB. TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE, APCH SHOULD NOT AUTH SIMULTANEOUS IFR APCHS. IF THE LCL CTLR IS GOING TO REQUEST CIRCLE TO LAND, THEY SHOULD RELAY THIS INFO TO THE APCH CTLR WHO SHOULD INFORM THE CREWS SO THAT THE APCH CAN BE ADEQUATELY BRIEFED BEFORE IT IS COMMENCED.

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.