Narrative:

After successfully completing an instrument approach to the whitted airport (kspg) in st. Petersburg, fl, I was cleared to land on any runway from any orientation. I chose to land on runway 6, because it is the longer of the 2 runways. I chose to make a left downwind approach to the runway to make it easier for me to maintain visual contact with the runway. However, a left downwind approach put me in close proximity to several tall buildings. I don't recollect seeing these buildings on the government approach plate. They don't appear to be marked on commercial chart plate, either. I would recommend the following: 1) prohibit left downwind approachs to runway 6. 2) clearly mark these tall buildings on both government and commercial chart approach plates. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: analyst advised reporter that obstructions are depicted on current approach charting that would affect the altitude, positioning and distance a pilot might fly when executing a left downwind approach to runway 6. Reporter suggested that the FAA/tower should not allow left traffic to runway 6.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA60 PLT INITIATES L DOWNWIND CIRCLING APCH TO SPG RWY 6 AND BECOMES CONCERNED ABOUT FLT IN VICINITY OF DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS. RPTR BELIEVES OBSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT DEPICTED ON APCH CHARTS.

Narrative: AFTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING AN INST APCH TO THE WHITTED ARPT (KSPG) IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL, I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON ANY RWY FROM ANY ORIENTATION. I CHOSE TO LAND ON RWY 6, BECAUSE IT IS THE LONGER OF THE 2 RWYS. I CHOSE TO MAKE A L DOWNWIND APCH TO THE RWY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY. HOWEVER, A L DOWNWIND APCH PUT ME IN CLOSE PROX TO SEVERAL TALL BUILDINGS. I DON'T RECOLLECT SEEING THESE BUILDINGS ON THE GOV APCH PLATE. THEY DON'T APPEAR TO BE MARKED ON COMMERCIAL CHART PLATE, EITHER. I WOULD RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING: 1) PROHIBIT L DOWNWIND APCHS TO RWY 6. 2) CLRLY MARK THESE TALL BUILDINGS ON BOTH GOV AND COMMERCIAL CHART APCH PLATES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST ADVISED RPTR THAT OBSTRUCTIONS ARE DEPICTED ON CURRENT APCH CHARTING THAT WOULD AFFECT THE ALT, POSITIONING AND DISTANCE A PLT MIGHT FLY WHEN EXECUTING A L DOWNWIND APCH TO RWY 6. RPTR SUGGESTED THAT THE FAA/TWR SHOULD NOT ALLOW L TFC TO RWY 6.

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.