Narrative:

There were 3 persons involved in this incident: myself; another C172 pilot; and the bolton field control tower person. I initially called in about 8 mi west of bolton field (tzr) on the control tower frequency. The tower told me to report right downwind for runway 22. I did not report the runway at that time; but acknowledged his reply. Upon getting closer to the airport; I noticed that another C172 pilot called in for landing too. The tower told him to report left base leg for runway 4. I said to myself; 'huh?' I kept an eye out for this plane and eventually had him in sight. Upon approaching my waypoint; I then reported that I was right downwind for runway 22. The tower said that I was not in sight yet. He then cleared the other cessna pilot to land on runway 4. I continued and turned right base for runway 22. At this time the cessna pilot was on final for runway 4. I didn't have to; but I piped up and said that I was right base for runway 22. I then turned final and watched the cessna pilot land on runway 4. The bolton controller then yelled at me that he told me runway 4. I was shocked; then silence. As I was still on runway 22 final approach; I then asked what he wanted me to do. He shouted; 'downwind for runway 4; down for runway 4!' being that he didn't say right or left downwind; I instinctively took left downwind for runway 4. This was the opposite direction for the normal bolton traffic landing on runway 4. I landed without further incident after he cleared me to land. After landing; the cessna pilot came up to me and told me that he heard the controller tell me runway 22. I said that was a relief! He also said that this same controller was routinely not nice to some pilots and routinely makes mistakes. He knew this because he is an instructor at bolton field. My only advice is to train these controllers better or have a better controller sign-off before you let them operate by themselves. Maybe to monitor their activity for a week for a routine check-up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RV6 PLT IS GIVEN LNDG INSTRUCTIONS BY TZR CTLR THAT RESULTED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: THERE WERE 3 PERSONS INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT: MYSELF; ANOTHER C172 PLT; AND THE BOLTON FIELD CTL TWR PERSON. I INITIALLY CALLED IN ABOUT 8 MI W OF BOLTON FIELD (TZR) ON THE CTL TWR FREQ. THE TWR TOLD ME TO RPT R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22. I DID NOT RPT THE RWY AT THAT TIME; BUT ACKNOWLEDGED HIS REPLY. UPON GETTING CLOSER TO THE ARPT; I NOTICED THAT ANOTHER C172 PLT CALLED IN FOR LNDG TOO. THE TWR TOLD HIM TO RPT L BASE LEG FOR RWY 4. I SAID TO MYSELF; 'HUH?' I KEPT AN EYE OUT FOR THIS PLANE AND EVENTUALLY HAD HIM IN SIGHT. UPON APCHING MY WAYPOINT; I THEN RPTED THAT I WAS R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22. THE TWR SAID THAT I WAS NOT IN SIGHT YET. HE THEN CLRED THE OTHER CESSNA PLT TO LAND ON RWY 4. I CONTINUED AND TURNED R BASE FOR RWY 22. AT THIS TIME THE CESSNA PLT WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 4. I DIDN'T HAVE TO; BUT I PIPED UP AND SAID THAT I WAS R BASE FOR RWY 22. I THEN TURNED FINAL AND WATCHED THE CESSNA PLT LAND ON RWY 4. THE BOLTON CTLR THEN YELLED AT ME THAT HE TOLD ME RWY 4. I WAS SHOCKED; THEN SILENCE. AS I WAS STILL ON RWY 22 FINAL APCH; I THEN ASKED WHAT HE WANTED ME TO DO. HE SHOUTED; 'DOWNWIND FOR RWY 4; DOWN FOR RWY 4!' BEING THAT HE DIDN'T SAY R OR L DOWNWIND; I INSTINCTIVELY TOOK L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 4. THIS WAS THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR THE NORMAL BOLTON TFC LNDG ON RWY 4. I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AFTER HE CLRED ME TO LAND. AFTER LNDG; THE CESSNA PLT CAME UP TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT HE HEARD THE CTLR TELL ME RWY 22. I SAID THAT WAS A RELIEF! HE ALSO SAID THAT THIS SAME CTLR WAS ROUTINELY NOT NICE TO SOME PLTS AND ROUTINELY MAKES MISTAKES. HE KNEW THIS BECAUSE HE IS AN INSTRUCTOR AT BOLTON FIELD. MY ONLY ADVICE IS TO TRAIN THESE CTLRS BETTER OR HAVE A BETTER CTLR SIGN-OFF BEFORE YOU LET THEM OPERATE BY THEMSELVES. MAYBE TO MONITOR THEIR ACTIVITY FOR A WK FOR A ROUTINE CHK-UP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.