Narrative:

We were cleared to land on runway 16 at westchester county airport, ny, hpn. The wind at the time was from 180 degrees. While on close in base leg at approximately 600 ft AGL, ready to turn final, the clearance was changed to fly through the centerline of runway 16 and enter the base leg for runway 11, as there was a jet on a long final to runway 16. After questioning the need for this change, at this late stage of the approach, we continued to base leg runway 11 and were cleared to land runway 11. While close in at approximately 600 ft we were given the instruction to make a right 270 degree turn, cleared to land runway 11. Again we questioned this instructions as it would put us in position for a right base to runway 16. The controller confirmed the instruction and clearance to land on runway 11. We proceeded to make a 360 degree turn, then turned final at which time I noticed that if we continued the landing we would collide with a king air, which was landing on runway 16, at the intersection of runways 11 and 16. At about 200 ft AGL, I advised the controller of the intersection 'meeting.' at this point another voice, possibly a supervisor, issued instructions for us to go around and land on runway 16. The original controller gave us 3 changes to our landing clrncs, each of which was an unnecessary distraction and the last which put us in a position for a runway intersection collision. Friday afternoons are extremely busy at this airport. The use of inexperienced or otherwise unqualified controllers and the lack of appropriate supervision were the reasons for this series of errors. Providing effective, quality supervision at busy times might alleviate this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34 PLT LNDG HPN GIVEN 3 LNDG CHANGES.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 16 AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY ARPT, NY, HPN. THE WIND AT THE TIME WAS FROM 180 DEGS. WHILE ON CLOSE IN BASE LEG AT APPROX 600 FT AGL, READY TO TURN FINAL, THE CLRNC WAS CHANGED TO FLY THROUGH THE CTRLINE OF RWY 16 AND ENTER THE BASE LEG FOR RWY 11, AS THERE WAS A JET ON A LONG FINAL TO RWY 16. AFTER QUESTIONING THE NEED FOR THIS CHANGE, AT THIS LATE STAGE OF THE APCH, WE CONTINUED TO BASE LEG RWY 11 AND WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 11. WHILE CLOSE IN AT APPROX 600 FT WE WERE GIVEN THE INSTRUCTION TO MAKE A R 270 DEG TURN, CLRED TO LAND RWY 11. AGAIN WE QUESTIONED THIS INSTRUCTIONS AS IT WOULD PUT US IN POS FOR A R BASE TO RWY 16. THE CTLR CONFIRMED THE INSTRUCTION AND CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 11. WE PROCEEDED TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN, THEN TURNED FINAL AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED THAT IF WE CONTINUED THE LNDG WE WOULD COLLIDE WITH A KING AIR, WHICH WAS LNDG ON RWY 16, AT THE INTXN OF RWYS 11 AND 16. AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, I ADVISED THE CTLR OF THE INTXN 'MEETING.' AT THIS POINT ANOTHER VOICE, POSSIBLY A SUPVR, ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS FOR US TO GO AROUND AND LAND ON RWY 16. THE ORIGINAL CTLR GAVE US 3 CHANGES TO OUR LNDG CLRNCS, EACH OF WHICH WAS AN UNNECESSARY DISTR AND THE LAST WHICH PUT US IN A POS FOR A RWY INTXN COLLISION. FRIDAY AFTERNOONS ARE EXTREMELY BUSY AT THIS ARPT. THE USE OF INEXPERIENCED OR OTHERWISE UNQUALIFIED CTLRS AND THE LACK OF APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION WERE THE REASONS FOR THIS SERIES OF ERRORS. PROVIDING EFFECTIVE, QUALITY SUPERVISION AT BUSY TIMES MIGHT ALLEVIATE THIS PROB.

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.