Narrative:

On a routine training flight I approached dwh from the west and was told to enter a right base for runway 17R. Another cessna was in the pattern for runway 17R and when we were approximately 2 1/2 mi out they were instructed to do touch and go on runway 17L. I lost visual contact with the other aircraft against ground clutter as they were lower when we were entering right base. As we turned final I saw the other aircraft lower and immediately ahead slightly right of course for runway 17R. I immediately queried the tower 'verify (us) cleared touch and go runway 17R and aircraft ahead cleared runway 17L.' to that point I had not been issued an advisory or a clearance to land even though I was radar idented. Tower again instructed the other aircraft to make traffic for runway 17L but I perceived them to become stationary and larger as they added flaps, so I immediately climbed to the right and called tower as a go around. They cleared us for 360 degree turn to final touch and go runway 17R. I believe the problem was caused by several factors: 1) casual monitoring by tower (no advisory of traffic to the parallel runway). 2) instruction to other aircraft to switch runway was not acknowledged correctly the first time, and an acknowledgment was not resolicited by the tower. 3) poor runway alignment of other aircraft. 4) inadequate visual scanning techniques of myself and other pilot. 5) I was instructed to 'enter right base' but not to 'report entering' which led me to expect they were more closely monitoring our position by radar or visual contact. To correct the problem: 1) pilots should be instructed to 'report entering' to aid ATC as well as other pilots in the pattern with orientation. 2) parallel approachs should be closely monitored and timely advisories issued. 3) at least a strong word should be shared with pilots who wander into adjacent final approach courses (I have no way of knowing if the other pilot was later talked with on ground frequency or telephone).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 CFI PERFORMS A GAR AT DWH TO AVOID ACFT ON FINAL AHEAD OF HIS ACFT. ACFT Y WAS APCHING THE WRONG RWY.

Narrative: ON A ROUTINE TRAINING FLT I APCHED DWH FROM THE W AND WAS TOLD TO ENTER A R BASE FOR RWY 17R. ANOTHER CESSNA WAS IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 17R AND WHEN WE WERE APPROX 2 1/2 MI OUT THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO TOUCH AND GO ON RWY 17L. I LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT AGAINST GND CLUTTER AS THEY WERE LOWER WHEN WE WERE ENTERING R BASE. AS WE TURNED FINAL I SAW THE OTHER ACFT LOWER AND IMMEDIATELY AHEAD SLIGHTLY R OF COURSE FOR RWY 17R. I IMMEDIATELY QUERIED THE TWR 'VERIFY (US) CLRED TOUCH AND GO RWY 17R AND ACFT AHEAD CLRED RWY 17L.' TO THAT POINT I HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED AN ADVISORY OR A CLRNC TO LAND EVEN THOUGH I WAS RADAR IDENTED. TWR AGAIN INSTRUCTED THE OTHER ACFT TO MAKE TFC FOR RWY 17L BUT I PERCEIVED THEM TO BECOME STATIONARY AND LARGER AS THEY ADDED FLAPS, SO I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO THE R AND CALLED TWR AS A GAR. THEY CLRED US FOR 360 DEG TURN TO FINAL TOUCH AND GO RWY 17R. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY SEVERAL FACTORS: 1) CASUAL MONITORING BY TWR (NO ADVISORY OF TFC TO THE PARALLEL RWY). 2) INSTRUCTION TO OTHER ACFT TO SWITCH RWY WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME, AND AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT WAS NOT RESOLICITED BY THE TWR. 3) POOR RWY ALIGNMENT OF OTHER ACFT. 4) INADEQUATE VISUAL SCANNING TECHNIQUES OF MYSELF AND OTHER PLT. 5) I WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'ENTER R BASE' BUT NOT TO 'RPT ENTERING' WHICH LED ME TO EXPECT THEY WERE MORE CLOSELY MONITORING OUR POS BY RADAR OR VISUAL CONTACT. TO CORRECT THE PROB: 1) PLTS SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO 'RPT ENTERING' TO AID ATC AS WELL AS OTHER PLTS IN THE PATTERN WITH ORIENTATION. 2) PARALLEL APCHS SHOULD BE CLOSELY MONITORED AND TIMELY ADVISORIES ISSUED. 3) AT LEAST A STRONG WORD SHOULD BE SHARED WITH PLTS WHO WANDER INTO ADJACENT FINAL APCH COURSES (I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE OTHER PLT WAS LATER TALKED WITH ON GND FREQ OR TELEPHONE).

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.