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|
Attributes | |
ACN | 99287 |
Time | |
Date | 198811 |
Day | Sun |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : 5b0 |
State Reference | CT |
Altitude | agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | IMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
Flight Phase | landing other other |
Route In Use | approach : visual approach : circling |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | Other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 1300 |
ASRS Report | 99287 |
Person 2 | |
Function | observation : observer |
Events | |
Anomaly | other spatial deviation |
Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
Resolutory Action | none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted |
Consequence | faa : investigated |
Supplementary | |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
A call was made to the hartford flight standards office describing 'erratic flying.' the complaint alleged that my landing at windham airport was downwind and that in circling after a missed approach, I flew at 300'. After a demanding flight in clouds from md with a long delay at teterboro, due to fatigue, I probably had unconsciously misread the windsock. It was indicating a landing on either runway 27 or 18. I chose 36, a 2800' runway with a hill at the end. I flew the missed approach twice, then landed on runway 27. In my conversation with the FAA, it was agreed that none of this is in violation of the far's. (They nevertheless requested a copy of my log book showing a current biennial and instrument currency.) the wind, in fact, was so light that smoke rising in the nearby town of willimantic was almost straight up. (The complaint alleged that it was blowing at 10 KTS.) as to altitude, the ceiling was at the MDA or 814' over the field. As pattern altitude is 1200', it no doubt appeared that my plane was flying too low. The problem is that both the FAA and myself have expended unnecessary time looking into a frivolous phone call. If these complaints are not demanded in writing it invites people with grudges to use the system for personal attacks (a situation which I don't think happened here as I don't know the caller). Note that he and others were sitting in the office with the unicom but did not respond to my calls for advisories. As a result of the event described below, I suggest 2 rule changes that would increase safety at uncontrolled airports and reduce irrelevant paperwork. Unicoms should be turned on during working hours. Citizen reports of violations should be received by the FAA only in writing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: REPORT OF ERRATIC APCH AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT BY GA SMA.
Narrative: A CALL WAS MADE TO THE HARTFORD FLT STANDARDS OFFICE DESCRIBING 'ERRATIC FLYING.' THE COMPLAINT ALLEGED THAT MY LNDG AT WINDHAM ARPT WAS DOWNWIND AND THAT IN CIRCLING AFTER A MISSED APCH, I FLEW AT 300'. AFTER A DEMANDING FLT IN CLOUDS FROM MD WITH A LONG DELAY AT TETERBORO, DUE TO FATIGUE, I PROBABLY HAD UNCONSCIOUSLY MISREAD THE WINDSOCK. IT WAS INDICATING A LNDG ON EITHER RWY 27 OR 18. I CHOSE 36, A 2800' RWY WITH A HILL AT THE END. I FLEW THE MISSED APCH TWICE, THEN LANDED ON RWY 27. IN MY CONVERSATION WITH THE FAA, IT WAS AGREED THAT NONE OF THIS IS IN VIOLATION OF THE FAR'S. (THEY NEVERTHELESS REQUESTED A COPY OF MY LOG BOOK SHOWING A CURRENT BIENNIAL AND INSTRUMENT CURRENCY.) THE WIND, IN FACT, WAS SO LIGHT THAT SMOKE RISING IN THE NEARBY TOWN OF WILLIMANTIC WAS ALMOST STRAIGHT UP. (THE COMPLAINT ALLEGED THAT IT WAS BLOWING AT 10 KTS.) AS TO ALT, THE CEILING WAS AT THE MDA OR 814' OVER THE FIELD. AS PATTERN ALT IS 1200', IT NO DOUBT APPEARED THAT MY PLANE WAS FLYING TOO LOW. THE PROB IS THAT BOTH THE FAA AND MYSELF HAVE EXPENDED UNNECESSARY TIME LOOKING INTO A FRIVOLOUS PHONE CALL. IF THESE COMPLAINTS ARE NOT DEMANDED IN WRITING IT INVITES PEOPLE WITH GRUDGES TO USE THE SYS FOR PERSONAL ATTACKS (A SITUATION WHICH I DON'T THINK HAPPENED HERE AS I DON'T KNOW THE CALLER). NOTE THAT HE AND OTHERS WERE SITTING IN THE OFFICE WITH THE UNICOM BUT DID NOT RESPOND TO MY CALLS FOR ADVISORIES. AS A RESULT OF THE EVENT DESCRIBED BELOW, I SUGGEST 2 RULE CHANGES THAT WOULD INCREASE SAFETY AT UNCONTROLLED ARPTS AND REDUCE IRRELEVANT PAPERWORK. UNICOMS SHOULD BE TURNED ON DURING WORKING HRS. CITIZEN RPTS OF VIOLATIONS SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY THE FAA ONLY IN WRITING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.