Narrative:

I was flying with a student on a cross country flight to oxc when I decided to simulate a diversion to bridgeport airport. I instructed the student to change the destination to bridgeport and to ask for a touch and go at the airport. The student overflew the airport at 3000 ft, received the ATIS and called the tower when he was approximately 7 mi to the northwest of the airport, on a heading of about 310 degrees. The tower told the student to report a 2 mi left base for runway 11. The student responded with 'report a 2 mi left downwind for runway 11.' I realized that the student had made an error in the readback, but the controller did not correct him, so I thought I could make the appropriate actions (report 2 mi base) when we got closer to the airport. Because of our position, however, when the student turned to the left towards the airport, we wound up on a long final for runway 11. As we continued inbound about 2 mi out the student reported a 2 mi final. The controller responded with 'first I tell you report a 2 mi base, then you say downwind, and you show up on final!' realizing the mistake, I responded with an apology only to be told by the controller, 'you better review procedures and learn how to be a better instructor!' needless to say, with such an unprofessional comment, I was not too happy and the controller asked me for my home base hinting that I would be reported. I think this incident could have been avoided if we had given the controller more pertinent location information on the initial call up to the tower, ie, 'setup for a long final for runway 11.' also, I should have not let my attention lapse when we showed up on final. Also I should have corrected the student to initiate a base setup or change the reporting point to final through coordination with ATC. Contributing factor also is the controller's failure to correct the student when the student readback his clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT FAILS TO RPT AT THE POS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING WITH A STUDENT ON A XCOUNTRY FLT TO OXC WHEN I DECIDED TO SIMULATE A DIVERSION TO BRIDGEPORT ARPT. I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO CHANGE THE DEST TO BRIDGEPORT AND TO ASK FOR A TOUCH AND GO AT THE ARPT. THE STUDENT OVERFLEW THE ARPT AT 3000 FT, RECEIVED THE ATIS AND CALLED THE TWR WHEN HE WAS APPROX 7 MI TO THE NW OF THE ARPT, ON A HDG OF ABOUT 310 DEGS. THE TWR TOLD THE STUDENT TO RPT A 2 MI L BASE FOR RWY 11. THE STUDENT RESPONDED WITH 'RPT A 2 MI L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 11.' I REALIZED THAT THE STUDENT HAD MADE AN ERROR IN THE READBACK, BUT THE CTLR DID NOT CORRECT HIM, SO I THOUGHT I COULD MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS (RPT 2 MI BASE) WHEN WE GOT CLOSER TO THE ARPT. BECAUSE OF OUR POS, HOWEVER, WHEN THE STUDENT TURNED TO THE L TOWARDS THE ARPT, WE WOUND UP ON A LONG FINAL FOR RWY 11. AS WE CONTINUED INBOUND ABOUT 2 MI OUT THE STUDENT RPTED A 2 MI FINAL. THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'FIRST I TELL YOU RPT A 2 MI BASE, THEN YOU SAY DOWNWIND, AND YOU SHOW UP ON FINAL!' REALIZING THE MISTAKE, I RESPONDED WITH AN APOLOGY ONLY TO BE TOLD BY THE CTLR, 'YOU BETTER REVIEW PROCS AND LEARN HOW TO BE A BETTER INSTRUCTOR!' NEEDLESS TO SAY, WITH SUCH AN UNPROFESSIONAL COMMENT, I WAS NOT TOO HAPPY AND THE CTLR ASKED ME FOR MY HOME BASE HINTING THAT I WOULD BE RPTED. I THINK THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD GIVEN THE CTLR MORE PERTINENT LOCATION INFO ON THE INITIAL CALL UP TO THE TWR, IE, 'SETUP FOR A LONG FINAL FOR RWY 11.' ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE NOT LET MY ATTN LAPSE WHEN WE SHOWED UP ON FINAL. ALSO I SHOULD HAVE CORRECTED THE STUDENT TO INITIATE A BASE SETUP OR CHANGE THE RPTING POINT TO FINAL THROUGH COORD WITH ATC. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR ALSO IS THE CTLR'S FAILURE TO CORRECT THE STUDENT WHEN THE STUDENT READBACK HIS CLRNC.

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.