PA28 pilot given runway change on approach. He complies but then is informed that he should have con...

Attributes
ACN	354257
Time
Date	199611
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 700
Environment
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 134
ASRS Report	354257
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

As PIC, I had received clearance from tower to turn final for runway 25L. After aligning the airplane for runway 25L, reducing my airspeed and less than 60 seconds from touchdown, I received instructions from the tower to switch to runway 25R. I acknowledged tower's request to switch to runway 25R, quickly turned base then turned final and landed. Violation: after landing on runway 25R, I was informed by tower that I had not received clearance to land on runway 25R and was instructed first to change runways and then to make frequency change for clearance to land on runway 25R. Recommendation: any aircraft that is requested to change runways after receiving prior clearance and is less than 60 seconds from touchdown, should automatically be cleared for the new instructed runway. Conclusion: pilots are extremely busy in the last 60 seconds before touchdown and should not be distraction by changing frequency and establish communications with tower after being instructed to change runways. If I had not missed the request to change frequency at the time I was instructed to change runways, I would had requested a go around. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the accident prevention investigator from the lgb FSDO spoke with him and was very cordial. He listened to the tapes of the incident and agreed that lgb tower had some problems. He indicated that the controller was given a 'slap on the wrist.' however reporter was made to take 2 hours of his time and spend the money to fly in order to remain free of a violation. Reporter was furious but did comply because his work requires him to travel a great deal and he does not have the time to fight the FAA. He feels that the procedure used was very unsafe and he was merely trying to help the controller who had cleared another aircraft for the same runway. He was flying an archer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT GIVEN RWY CHANGE ON APCH. HE COMPLIES BUT THEN IS INFORMED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED TWR ON ANOTHER FREQ FOR CLRNC. LAND WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AS PIC, I HAD RECEIVED CLRNC FROM TWR TO TURN FINAL FOR RWY 25L. AFTER ALIGNING THE AIRPLANE FOR RWY 25L, REDUCING MY AIRSPD AND LESS THAN 60 SECONDS FROM TOUCHDOWN, I RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE TWR TO SWITCH TO RWY 25R. I ACKNOWLEDGED TWR'S REQUEST TO SWITCH TO RWY 25R, QUICKLY TURNED BASE THEN TURNED FINAL AND LANDED. VIOLATION: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 25R, I WAS INFORMED BY TWR THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 25R AND WAS INSTRUCTED FIRST TO CHANGE RWYS AND THEN TO MAKE FREQ CHANGE FOR CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 25R. RECOMMENDATION: ANY ACFT THAT IS REQUESTED TO CHANGE RWYS AFTER RECEIVING PRIOR CLRNC AND IS LESS THAN 60 SECONDS FROM TOUCHDOWN, SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE CLRED FOR THE NEW INSTRUCTED RWY. CONCLUSION: PLTS ARE EXTREMELY BUSY IN THE LAST 60 SECONDS BEFORE TOUCHDOWN AND SHOULD NOT BE DISTR BY CHANGING FREQ AND ESTABLISH COMS WITH TWR AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE RWYS. IF I HAD NOT MISSED THE REQUEST TO CHANGE FREQ AT THE TIME I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE RWYS, I WOULD HAD REQUESTED A GAR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE ACCIDENT PREVENTION INVESTIGATOR FROM THE LGB FSDO SPOKE WITH HIM AND WAS VERY CORDIAL. HE LISTENED TO THE TAPES OF THE INCIDENT AND AGREED THAT LGB TWR HAD SOME PROBS. HE INDICATED THAT THE CTLR WAS GIVEN A 'SLAP ON THE WRIST.' HOWEVER RPTR WAS MADE TO TAKE 2 HRS OF HIS TIME AND SPEND THE MONEY TO FLY IN ORDER TO REMAIN FREE OF A VIOLATION. RPTR WAS FURIOUS BUT DID COMPLY BECAUSE HIS WORK REQUIRES HIM TO TRAVEL A GREAT DEAL AND HE DOES NOT HAVE THE TIME TO FIGHT THE FAA. HE FEELS THAT THE PROC USED WAS VERY UNSAFE AND HE WAS MERELY TRYING TO HELP THE CTLR WHO HAD CLRED ANOTHER ACFT FOR THE SAME RWY. HE WAS FLYING AN ARCHER.

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.

PA28 pilot given runway change on approach. He complies but then is informed that he should have contacted tower on another frequency for clearance. Land without clearance.