Cessna 172 private pilot landed over another aircraft in position and holding.

Attributes
ACN	513140
Time
Date	200105
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground critical incursion : landing without clearance incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As I was approaching sjc preparing to land, I was instructed by the tower that I would be #2 to land behind another aircraft. I was communicating fine until I got within three to four miles from the airport at which time I noticed and commented to my passengers that the radio seemed to get more static the closer I got to sjc. I turned the radio down too far, despite the fact that I could still hear static and some conversation. The aircraft I was following landed and then another taxied into position and held. I was instructed by the tower to turn left 360 degrees and then to go around. I never heard the orders and continued to descend. I even commented to my passengers that the aircraft in position was holding and waiting for me to land. After the incident, I asked myself why I would do such a dumb thing when I would never enter a runway myself when another aircraft is approaching. I believe that when I was given the #2 spot to land my brain took a couple of mins off from common sense and concentrated on landing. The problem I had with the radio contributed to the incident, but the decision to land was human error. In the future I need to keep my mind open to any diversion, situation or instruction given to me, and be prepared for anything that might take me by surprise. I had a second radio in the aircraft that I might have been able to use as well. Also, I've contacted my instructor to let him know that I'd like to schedule some more time with him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA 172 PRIVATE PLT LANDED OVER ANOTHER ACFT IN POSITION AND HOLDING.

Narrative: AS I WAS APCHING SJC PREPARING TO LAND, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR THAT I WOULD BE #2 TO LAND BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. I WAS COMMUNICATING FINE UNTIL I GOT WITHIN THREE TO FOUR MILES FROM THE ARPT AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED AND COMMENTED TO MY PASSENGERS THAT THE RADIO SEEMED TO GET MORE STATIC THE CLOSER I GOT TO SJC. I TURNED THE RADIO DOWN TOO FAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT I COULD STILL HEAR STATIC AND SOME CONVERSATION. THE ACFT I WAS FOLLOWING LANDED AND THEN ANOTHER TAXIED INTO POSITION AND HELD. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR TO TURN LEFT 360 DEGS AND THEN TO GO AROUND. I NEVER HEARD THE ORDERS AND CONTINUED TO DSND. I EVEN COMMENTED TO MY PASSENGERS THAT THE ACFT IN POSITION WAS HOLDING AND WAITING FOR ME TO LAND. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I ASKED MYSELF WHY I WOULD DO SUCH A DUMB THING WHEN I WOULD NEVER ENTER A RWY MYSELF WHEN ANOTHER ACFT IS APCHING. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE #2 SPOT TO LAND MY BRAIN TOOK A COUPLE OF MINS OFF FROM COMMON SENSE AND CONCENTRATED ON LNDG. THE PROB I HAD WITH THE RADIO CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT, BUT THE DECISION TO LAND WAS HUMAN ERROR. IN THE FUTURE I NEED TO KEEP MY MIND OPEN TO ANY DIVERSION, SIT OR INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO ME, AND BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT TAKE ME BY SURPRISE. I HAD A SECOND RADIO IN THE ACFT THAT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE AS WELL. ALSO, I'VE CONTACTED MY INSTRUCTOR TO LET HIM KNOW THAT I'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE SOME MORE TIME WITH HIM.

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.