Narrative:

New york approach was vectoring us for a VOR DME alpha approach to teb airport. New your approach cleared us for the approach to teb, to go overhead the airport for a left downwind runway 19, after crossing clifo, descend to 1500 ft and contact teb tower. As we passed over clifo intersection, we contacted teb tower, at which time they cleared us to come up overhead at 1500 ft to enter a left downwind for runway 19 and to come back to approach speed. Moments later, the tower asked where we parked. I said FBO X. At that point, the tower said we were to follow a beech jet at our 10 O'clock position, 3 mi. I acknowledged that we would follow the beech jet, but that it was not in sight. The tower gave us a 'roger.' we came up overhead at 1500 ft and started a downwind for runway 19. I saw one aircraft on short final for runway 19 and started a slow descent. I was about to ask tower our sequence, when the tower came on and told us to do an immediate right turn as we were cutting across traffic. At this point, I was a little confused as to what he meant. I hade descended to 1275 ft when the tower came back with 'I have a traffic alert, turn right and climb back to 1500 ft,' which I did. He asked if I had the beech jet in sight, 11 O'clock position, 1 mi, below us. I acknowledged that I saw a citation X, but didn't have the beech jet insight. Tower informed me he would tell us when to turn 'base leg.' I heard the tower clear an aircraft to land on runway 24. With that, I had my cohort question teb tower as to which runway we were to use. The tower came back with 'for the third time, cleared to land on runway 24.' that was the first time we heard the instructions to land on runway 24. Thanks to the 'traffic alert' in the tower, an incident, or worse, an accident, was prevented.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ45 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED CONFLICT WITH TFC LNDG RWY 24 DURING PATTERN ENTRY FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 19 AT TEB.

Narrative: NEW YORK APCH WAS VECTORING US FOR A VOR DME ALPHA APCH TO TEB ARPT. NEW YOUR APCH CLRED US FOR THE APCH TO TEB, TO GO OVERHEAD THE ARPT FOR A L DOWNWIND RWY 19, AFTER XING CLIFO, DSND TO 1500 FT AND CONTACT TEB TWR. AS WE PASSED OVER CLIFO INTXN, WE CONTACTED TEB TWR, AT WHICH TIME THEY CLRED US TO COME UP OVERHEAD AT 1500 FT TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19 AND TO COME BACK TO APCH SPD. MOMENTS LATER, THE TWR ASKED WHERE WE PARKED. I SAID FBO X. AT THAT POINT, THE TWR SAID WE WERE TO FOLLOW A BEECH JET AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS, 3 MI. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW THE BEECH JET, BUT THAT IT WAS NOT IN SIGHT. THE TWR GAVE US A 'ROGER.' WE CAME UP OVERHEAD AT 1500 FT AND STARTED A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19. I SAW ONE ACFT ON SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 19 AND STARTED A SLOW DSCNT. I WAS ABOUT TO ASK TWR OUR SEQUENCE, WHEN THE TWR CAME ON AND TOLD US TO DO AN IMMEDIATE R TURN AS WE WERE CUTTING ACROSS TFC. AT THIS POINT, I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT HE MEANT. I HADE DSNDED TO 1275 FT WHEN THE TWR CAME BACK WITH 'I HAVE A TFC ALERT, TURN R AND CLB BACK TO 1500 FT,' WHICH I DID. HE ASKED IF I HAD THE BEECH JET IN SIGHT, 11 O'CLOCK POS, 1 MI, BELOW US. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I SAW A CITATION X, BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE BEECH JET INSIGHT. TWR INFORMED ME HE WOULD TELL US WHEN TO TURN 'BASE LEG.' I HEARD THE TWR CLR AN ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 24. WITH THAT, I HAD MY COHORT QUESTION TEB TWR AS TO WHICH RWY WE WERE TO USE. THE TWR CAME BACK WITH 'FOR THE THIRD TIME, CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 24.' THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS TO LAND ON RWY 24. THANKS TO THE 'TFC ALERT' IN THE TWR, AN INCIDENT, OR WORSE, AN ACCIDENT, WAS PREVENTED.

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.