Narrative:

On oct/fri/06; at around XA15 PDT; we contacted napa tower with the current ATIS for landing. We reported our position as '5 mi south.' the controller then asked us to enter a 'right downwind 18R' and to 'report downwind.' before we had time to report downwind; the controller asked 'what is your position now.' the student made the mistake of replying 'we are on final 28R.' the controller started talking to other airplanes and the frequency was continuously being used; the controller did not reply or question our position report for the next min. The controller suddenly instructed us to 'immediately make a right 360' adding that we were 'east of the airport.' we immediately started a right 360 degrees because of the order to make an 'immediate right 360;' although at this point we had never been east of the airport. This right 360 degrees put us; as well as the departing traffic; in jeopardy; and one departing aircraft reported us as 'opposite direction traffic.' the controller then started screaming at us; assuming that we were not familiar with the airport. (I landed at napa the previous day on runway 18L; with a different aircraft; a different student; and I could perfectly remember where runway 18L/right were located.) the controller instructed us to 'return to hayward airport and fly east.' I replied on the radio that we were going east; but that we were not returning to hayward; and that we were still requesting to land at napa. We were then instructed to make another right 360 degrees for traffic; and cleared to land runway 18L; #2; while at the same time the controller was telling other aircraft to 'use caution for the cherokee; he is not familiar with the airport.' after landing; we were given the phone number of napa tower for 'possible pilot deviation.' I immediately called the supervisor. He told me that they were dealing with equipment problems (radar failing to locate traffic) as well as new staff being trained. I requested apologies for the way we were being put in a dangerous situation by the tower. Would a solo student pilot be treated that way in the future; without an instructor on board; there is the potential for accidents to happen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISIDENT AND MISCOM BTWN A TRAINING FLT AND NAPA TWR CAUSE HAVOC IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: ON OCT/FRI/06; AT AROUND XA15 PDT; WE CONTACTED NAPA TWR WITH THE CURRENT ATIS FOR LNDG. WE RPTED OUR POS AS '5 MI S.' THE CTLR THEN ASKED US TO ENTER A 'R DOWNWIND 18R' AND TO 'RPT DOWNWIND.' BEFORE WE HAD TIME TO RPT DOWNWIND; THE CTLR ASKED 'WHAT IS YOUR POS NOW.' THE STUDENT MADE THE MISTAKE OF REPLYING 'WE ARE ON FINAL 28R.' THE CTLR STARTED TALKING TO OTHER AIRPLANES AND THE FREQ WAS CONTINUOUSLY BEING USED; THE CTLR DID NOT REPLY OR QUESTION OUR POS RPT FOR THE NEXT MIN. THE CTLR SUDDENLY INSTRUCTED US TO 'IMMEDIATELY MAKE A R 360' ADDING THAT WE WERE 'E OF THE ARPT.' WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED A R 360 DEGS BECAUSE OF THE ORDER TO MAKE AN 'IMMEDIATE R 360;' ALTHOUGH AT THIS POINT WE HAD NEVER BEEN E OF THE ARPT. THIS R 360 DEGS PUT US; AS WELL AS THE DEPARTING TFC; IN JEOPARDY; AND ONE DEPARTING ACFT RPTED US AS 'OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.' THE CTLR THEN STARTED SCREAMING AT US; ASSUMING THAT WE WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. (I LANDED AT NAPA THE PREVIOUS DAY ON RWY 18L; WITH A DIFFERENT ACFT; A DIFFERENT STUDENT; AND I COULD PERFECTLY REMEMBER WHERE RWY 18L/R WERE LOCATED.) THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO 'RETURN TO HAYWARD ARPT AND FLY E.' I REPLIED ON THE RADIO THAT WE WERE GOING E; BUT THAT WE WERE NOT RETURNING TO HAYWARD; AND THAT WE WERE STILL REQUESTING TO LAND AT NAPA. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO MAKE ANOTHER R 360 DEGS FOR TFC; AND CLRED TO LAND RWY 18L; #2; WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR WAS TELLING OTHER ACFT TO 'USE CAUTION FOR THE CHEROKEE; HE IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT.' AFTER LNDG; WE WERE GIVEN THE PHONE NUMBER OF NAPA TWR FOR 'POSSIBLE PLTDEV.' I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SUPVR. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH EQUIP PROBS (RADAR FAILING TO LOCATE TFC) AS WELL AS NEW STAFF BEING TRAINED. I REQUESTED APOLOGIES FOR THE WAY WE WERE BEING PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION BY THE TWR. WOULD A SOLO STUDENT PLT BE TREATED THAT WAY IN THE FUTURE; WITHOUT AN INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD; THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN.

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.