GA small aircraft was given several landing runway changes in the last 11 NM of straight in approach...

Attributes
ACN	123075
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : roc tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 602
ASRS Report	123075
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Completing 1/2 hour flight from niagara falls, ny (iag) to rochester, ny (R0C). Contacted roc approach when 33 NM out. Assigned squawk and communicated toward airport, heading approximately 85-90 degree. Reported airport in sight when 10-11 NM out. Approach told us contact tower expect straight-in runway 10. When 6 NM out tower modified clearance to land runway 7 (left base) then between there and reaching runway, tower cleared me to land 10, 7, 10, and finally runway 7 again requiring significant turns and reorientation to runway. On final turn to final runway 7, overflew the widebody transport about 200 AGL, less than 1/4 mi offset (in position and hold) on runway 4. Airliner captain told tower he didn't like that maneuver. I commented also that it didn't seem right to me. When I questioned the FBO if the runway frequently did this FLIP-flop runway assignment, I was told that it was probably due to runway stripe-painting operation. I thought maybe the tower was confusing two of us planes with similar tail number, but both my wife and I had on headsets and heard the same instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WAS GIVEN SEVERAL LNDG RWY CHANGES IN THE LAST 11 NM OF STRAIGHT IN APCH TO ROC.

Narrative: COMPLETING 1/2 HR FLT FROM NIAGARA FALLS, NY (IAG) TO ROCHESTER, NY (R0C). CONTACTED ROC APCH WHEN 33 NM OUT. ASSIGNED SQUAWK AND COMMUNICATED TOWARD ARPT, HDG APPROX 85-90 DEG. REPORTED ARPT IN SIGHT WHEN 10-11 NM OUT. APCH TOLD US CONTACT TWR EXPECT STRAIGHT-IN RWY 10. WHEN 6 NM OUT TWR MODIFIED CLRNC TO LAND RWY 7 (LEFT BASE) THEN BETWEEN THERE AND REACHING RWY, TWR CLRED ME TO LAND 10, 7, 10, AND FINALLY RWY 7 AGAIN REQUIRING SIGNIFICANT TURNS AND REORIENTATION TO RWY. ON FINAL TURN TO FINAL RWY 7, OVERFLEW THE WDB ABOUT 200 AGL, LESS THAN 1/4 MI OFFSET (IN POSITION AND HOLD) ON RWY 4. AIRLINER CAPT TOLD TWR HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT MANEUVER. I COMMENTED ALSO THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE FBO IF THE RWY FREQUENTLY DID THIS FLIP-FLOP RWY ASSIGNMENT, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO RWY STRIPE-PAINTING OPERATION. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE TWR WAS CONFUSING TWO OF US PLANES WITH SIMILAR TAIL NUMBER, BUT BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAD ON HEADSETS AND HEARD THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS.

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.

GA small aircraft was given several landing runway changes in the last 11 NM of straight in approach to roc.