Vny tower controller reported that a local controller failed to notice that an aircraft was about to...

Narrative:

An aircraft attempted a wrong surface landing. I was working the helicopter position and was just checking to see a landed helicopter had cleared the taxiway onto the ramp. The ground controller with a raised voice shouts out something about short final for the wrong runway and to send an aircraft around. He had to say it at least twice. I glanced back and forth from the local controller to the arrival ends of the runways. I saw the seated local controller; who was staring straight at the radar in front of her; look up and out the window finally sending aircraft X around. Aircraft X was less than a mile final and less than 100 ft. To the closed runway.the ground controller did an excellent job of noticing a small dark aircraft that was blending into the background and speaking up. The local controller was in my opinion behind in the operation and not making the most efficient use of her resources. Such as looking out the window and relying practically on the radar display. Too many VFR tower controllers rely too much on a radar display and attempt to work traffic like a TRACON. The FAA 7110.65 needs to be divided up into at least 3 supplements. Enroute; TRACON; and B C D towers. The first thing stated for the towers should be to 'look out the windows.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VNY Tower Controller reported that a Local Controller failed to notice that an aircraft was about to land on the wrong runway.

Narrative: An aircraft attempted a wrong surface landing. I was working the helicopter position and was just checking to see a landed Helicopter had cleared the taxiway onto the ramp. The Ground Controller with a raised voice shouts out something about short final for the wrong runway and to send an aircraft around. He had to say it at least twice. I glanced back and forth from the Local controller to the arrival ends of the runways. I saw the seated Local Controller; who was staring straight at the radar in front of her; look up and out the window finally sending Aircraft X around. Aircraft X was less than a mile final and less than 100 ft. to the closed runway.The Ground Controller did an excellent job of noticing a small dark aircraft that was blending into the background and speaking up. The Local Controller was in my opinion behind in the operation and not making the most efficient use of her resources. Such as looking out the window and relying practically on the radar display. Too many VFR Tower Controllers rely too much on a radar display and attempt to work traffic like a TRACON. The FAA 7110.65 needs to be divided up into at least 3 supplements. Enroute; TRACON; and B C D Towers. The first thing stated for the towers should be to 'look out the windows.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1699505
Time
Date	201911
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	VNY.Tower
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Other / Unknown
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 20
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

Vny tower controller reported that a local controller failed to notice that an aircraft was about to land on the wrong runway.