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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Unauthorized landing -- pilot lands at a familiar airport that he has not visited in a while and finds that it has an operating tower that he did not call for permission to land.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 316860 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199509 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : f67 |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 316860 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | incursion : landing without clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Having not been to grand prarie airport since mar/xx/95, I did not know it had a control tower. I landed without clearance. Another aircraft told me about the tower/ground frequencys on unicom (122.8). The tower operator didn't seem to mind the entire incident. I used the proper frequencys on my departure. The FBO staff told me the tower had been in operation since jun/xx/95. My new sectional was issued just before the tower was activated. I didn't check NOTAMS because grand prarie was a last min decision (restaurant on field). There is not a control 'tower' yet, either. Anyway, I'm sure I'm not the first or last to do this. I cannot imagine how this could have been avoided, given these circumstances. I don't make a habit of checking NOTAMS for local flts around the dfw area. Plans and destinations change. Besides, I've been flying in and out of this particular airport for 26 yrs. This one caught me by surprise.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: UNAUTH LNDG -- PLT LANDS AT A FAMILIAR ARPT THAT HE HAS NOT VISITED IN A WHILE AND FINDS THAT IT HAS AN OPERATING TWR THAT HE DID NOT CALL FOR PERMISSION TO LAND.
Narrative: HAVING NOT BEEN TO GRAND PRARIE ARPT SINCE MAR/XX/95, I DID NOT KNOW IT HAD A CTL TWR. I LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC. ANOTHER ACFT TOLD ME ABOUT THE TWR/GND FREQS ON UNICOM (122.8). THE TWR OPERATOR DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. I USED THE PROPER FREQS ON MY DEP. THE FBO STAFF TOLD ME THE TWR HAD BEEN IN OP SINCE JUN/XX/95. MY NEW SECTIONAL WAS ISSUED JUST BEFORE THE TWR WAS ACTIVATED. I DIDN'T CHK NOTAMS BECAUSE GRAND PRARIE WAS A LAST MIN DECISION (RESTAURANT ON FIELD). THERE IS NOT A CTL 'TWR' YET, EITHER. ANYWAY, I'M SURE I'M NOT THE FIRST OR LAST TO DO THIS. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, GIVEN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. I DON'T MAKE A HABIT OF CHKING NOTAMS FOR LCL FLTS AROUND THE DFW AREA. PLANS AND DESTS CHANGE. BESIDES, I'VE BEEN FLYING IN AND OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR ARPT FOR 26 YRS. THIS ONE CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE.
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.