Narrative:

Aircraft X was inbound from the south wanting to land at ZZZ. While on the line with approach controller in charge about an ILS issue; I was told aircraft X had minimum fuel and wanted to land at the airport soon. I heard in the background at approach state that ZZZ was IFR. I told the controller in charge that we were VFR (weather had been in the area all night and we were in and out of VFR) to let aircraft X come in on the right base to runways 11. He said he would call me back. Later I was told possible emergency. I rang an alert 1. The controller in charge then handed off aircraft X to me on a right base to runway 11R. He was tagged IFR and on a 1-1/4 base slightly high. It took me two calls to contact him. I cleared him to land runway 11R. He then continued on a base type turn completely missing the approach end of the runway. He was now flying away from the airport on an approximate 030 heading descending towards what appeared to be a main city vehicle intersection just outside the airport. At this time due to the severe language barrier; and his rapid descent towards terrain; I never stated anything confirming he was VFR in the pattern. I made the decision to climb him and vector him to downwinds and bases. Weather was not affecting the pilot seeing the airport. The pilot overall seemed very disorientated and 'shaken up.' after 20 minutes of go around's and struggling to land the aircraft; aircraft X finally landed on parallel taxiway alpha from the runway direction. I have been thinking about this and there was nothing I could have done different in this situation. The pilot could not properly fly the aircraft. There was not strong wind; the runway lights were all the way up. I issued progressive in the most layman way possible. He was minimum fuel with weather closing in. He had to land immediately.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Tower Controller described a series of go-arounds made by a very confused and disorientated pilot experiencing low fuel. The aircraft eventually landed on a taxiway after multiple attempts.

Narrative: Aircraft X was inbound from the south wanting to land at ZZZ. While on the line with Approach CIC about an ILS issue; I was told Aircraft X had minimum fuel and wanted to land at the airport soon. I heard in the background at Approach state that ZZZ was IFR. I told the CIC that we were VFR (weather had been in the area all night and we were in and out of VFR) to let Aircraft X come in on the right base to Runways 11. He said he would call me back. Later I was told possible emergency. I rang an Alert 1. The CIC then handed off Aircraft X to me on a right base to Runway 11R. He was tagged IFR and on a 1-1/4 base slightly high. It took me two calls to contact him. I cleared him to land Runway 11R. He then continued on a base type turn completely missing the approach end of the runway. He was now flying away from the airport on an approximate 030 heading descending towards what appeared to be a main city vehicle intersection just outside the airport. At this time due to the severe language barrier; and his rapid descent towards terrain; I never stated anything confirming he was VFR in the pattern. I made the decision to climb him and vector him to downwinds and bases. Weather was not affecting the pilot seeing the airport. The pilot overall seemed very disorientated and 'shaken up.' After 20 minutes of go around's and struggling to land the aircraft; Aircraft X finally landed on parallel Taxiway Alpha from the runway direction. I have been thinking about this and there was nothing I could have done different in this situation. The pilot could not properly fly the aircraft. There was not strong wind; the runway lights were all the way up. I issued progressive in the most layman way possible. He was minimum fuel with weather closing in. He had to land immediately.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.