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A brand new C172 pilot misunderstood a comment from the hts tower controller and crossed over the airport without permission, entering the wrong downwind.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 512780 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200105 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hts.airport |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 90.4 flight time type : 40 |
| ASRS Report | 512780 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
This incident occurred when I was flying about 3-4 mi from huntington (hts) airport. Huntington approach vectored me to a parallel heading with runway 12, and instructed me to contact tower on frequency 118.5. After switching to tower frequency, tower advised me to enter a right downwind for runway 30. Since I was already on a parallel course to the runway, and in a right downwind, I continued on my course. When I was about 1 mi from the airport, tower contacted me and questioned if I was going to enter the right downwind for runway 30. At this time, I second-guessed myself and crossed to the opposite downwind for runway 30. I was certain I was on the correct 'right' downwind before, but crossed over when I thought the tower was saying that I was on the wrong side. Tower then advised me to call them when I landed. After explaining to them I was sorry for what happened, and I was sidetracked by inaccurate instruments, the controller/supervisor advised apology accepted, that no reports would be filed, and just 'do what the tower tells you to do next time.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BRAND NEW C172 PLT MISUNDERSTOOD A COMMENT FROM THE HTS TWR CTLR AND CROSSED OVER THE ARPT WITHOUT PERMISSION, ENTERING THE WRONG DOWNWIND.
Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I WAS FLYING ABOUT 3-4 MI FROM HUNTINGTON (HTS) ARPT. HUNTINGTON APCH VECTORED ME TO A PARALLEL HDG WITH RWY 12, AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT TWR ON FREQ 118.5. AFTER SWITCHING TO TWR FREQ, TWR ADVISED ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30. SINCE I WAS ALREADY ON A PARALLEL COURSE TO THE RWY, AND IN A R DOWNWIND, I CONTINUED ON MY COURSE. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE ARPT, TWR CONTACTED ME AND QUESTIONED IF I WAS GOING TO ENTER THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30. AT THIS TIME, I SECOND-GUESSED MYSELF AND CROSSED TO THE OPPOSITE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30. I WAS CERTAIN I WAS ON THE CORRECT 'RIGHT' DOWNWIND BEFORE, BUT CROSSED OVER WHEN I THOUGHT THE TWR WAS SAYING THAT I WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE. TWR THEN ADVISED ME TO CALL THEM WHEN I LANDED. AFTER EXPLAINING TO THEM I WAS SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED, AND I WAS SIDETRACKED BY INACCURATE INSTS, THE CTLR/SUPVR ADVISED APOLOGY ACCEPTED, THAT NO RPTS WOULD BE FILED, AND JUST 'DO WHAT THE TWR TELLS YOU TO DO NEXT TIME.'
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.