Narrative:

Departed jackson, tn, IFR to marion, il. 50 mi from marion the copilot contacted the marion tower to get WX and approach to expect. The WX was 700 scattered, 1700 scattered, 3000 overcast, 10 mi visibility, blowing snow, variable winds gusting to 25 KTS. Expect circle to land runway 29. The copilot was in contact with the tower for 20 mins on and off while we held. Our ILS was normal, and we broke out at 1200 to 1400 ft. At about 500 ft I saw that the wind sock at the arrival end of 20 was straight and showing an almost perfect downwind situation. With the winds reported gusting above 20 KTS and blowing snow, I advised the copilot of my intention to circle to runway 2 and climbed to the circling minimums. The landing was normal. Tower complained that we had endangered other traffic by not advising them of our intention to circle to 20. Later I found out that the copilot had actually been responding to approach control and did not hear my circle intention. I saw her lips moving and assumed she was talking to tower on the other radio. I apologized to tower. However, the tower controller was waiting for me in the FBO and took me to task in front of my passenger. In 35 yrs of flying I have never experienced anything but a high level of consideration and help from tower personnel when operating in difficult conditions. The airport was IFR and there is no radar coverage. My concern is that the tower personnel have no business carrying out this kind of criticism in front of passenger and FBO personnel. We were cleared to land on downwind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT FLC CIRCLES TO LAND ON RWY OTHER THAN ASSIGNED.

Narrative: DEPARTED JACKSON, TN, IFR TO MARION, IL. 50 MI FROM MARION THE COPLT CONTACTED THE MARION TWR TO GET WX AND APCH TO EXPECT. THE WX WAS 700 SCATTERED, 1700 SCATTERED, 3000 OVCST, 10 MI VISIBILITY, BLOWING SNOW, VARIABLE WINDS GUSTING TO 25 KTS. EXPECT CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 29. THE COPLT WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE TWR FOR 20 MINS ON AND OFF WHILE WE HELD. OUR ILS WAS NORMAL, AND WE BROKE OUT AT 1200 TO 1400 FT. AT ABOUT 500 FT I SAW THAT THE WIND SOCK AT THE ARR END OF 20 WAS STRAIGHT AND SHOWING AN ALMOST PERFECT DOWNWIND SIT. WITH THE WINDS RPTED GUSTING ABOVE 20 KTS AND BLOWING SNOW, I ADVISED THE COPLT OF MY INTENTION TO CIRCLE TO RWY 2 AND CLBED TO THE CIRCLING MINIMUMS. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL. TWR COMPLAINED THAT WE HAD ENDANGERED OTHER TFC BY NOT ADVISING THEM OF OUR INTENTION TO CIRCLE TO 20. LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE COPLT HAD ACTUALLY BEEN RESPONDING TO APCH CTL AND DID NOT HEAR MY CIRCLE INTENTION. I SAW HER LIPS MOVING AND ASSUMED SHE WAS TALKING TO TWR ON THE OTHER RADIO. I APOLOGIZED TO TWR. HOWEVER, THE TWR CTLR WAS WAITING FOR ME IN THE FBO AND TOOK ME TO TASK IN FRONT OF MY PAX. IN 35 YRS OF FLYING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING BUT A HIGH LEVEL OF CONSIDERATION AND HELP FROM TWR PERSONNEL WHEN OPERATING IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. THE ARPT WAS IFR AND THERE IS NO RADAR COVERAGE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE TWR PERSONNEL HAVE NO BUSINESS CARRYING OUT THIS KIND OF CRITICISM IN FRONT OF PAX AND FBO PERSONNEL. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON DOWNWIND.

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