1997-08 · NASA ASRS report 378360
C414 PLT DOES NOT REALIZE THERE ARE PARALLEL RWYS BECAUSE IT IS A CONVERTED TXWY AND TWR DOES NOT INDICATE FOR HIM TO USE R OR L RWY. HE LANDS ON THE WRONG RWY.
INITIALLY DIRECTED TO LAND ON RWY 36; THEN REQUESTED TO TRANSITION TO R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9. DIRECTED TO FOLLOW SINGLE ENG CESSNA TO LNDG RWY 9. CLRED TO LAND. LANDED ON RWY 9L INSTEAD OF RWY 9R. CALLED TWR AFTER LNDG TO DISCUSS -- NO HAZARD TO OTHER ACFT ON RWY OR ON APCH; NONE WERE PRESENT AT TIME. NOT CLRLY ADVISED OF RWY 9L VERSUS RWY 9R. RWY 9R IS ACTUALLY A CONVERTED TXWY; 3578 FT BY 75 FT VERSUS 8001 FT BY 150 FT FOR RWY 9L. RWY 9R IS NOT RECOGNIZABLE AS A LNDG AREA WHEN COMPARED TO PROMINENCE OF RWY 9L; AND BOTH ARE WITHIN 500 FT LATERALLY. RECOMMEND STROBES OR OTHER POSITIVE IDENT OF RWYS AND ADVICE FROM LCL TWR PERSONNEL REGARDING CLOSE PROX OF RWYS 9L AND 9R. MADE ANOTHER LNDG APPROX 1 HR LATER AND NOTED THAT EVEN WHEN DUAL RWY SIT IS KNOWN; RWY 9R IS VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE COMPARED TO RWY 9L FROM ABOUT 1-2 MI OUT ON FINAL. HAD TO CONFIRM WITH TWR THE CORRECT LNDG RWY. SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO SOLICIT RWY 9L VERSUS RWY 9R FROM TWR -- THIS INFO SHOULD BE CLRLY COMMUNICATED FROM TWR TO LNDG ACFT. THIS SIT IS 'AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE HAD NEVER BEEN TO THIS ARPT BEFORE. THE LAST MIN SWITCH OF RWYS MADE FOR A RUSH TO FIND THE CESSNA AND IDENT THE ASSIGNED RWY. HE LOST SIGHT OF THE CESSNA AND TURNED TOWARD THE RWY WITHOUT SEEING ANY OTHER TFC. AFTER LNDG THE CTLR SAID IT HAPPENS A LOT. THE REASON FOR THE TRIP WAS TO INSTALL A GPS AND AFTER INSTALLATION HE TOOK OFF WITH A TECHNICIAN ABOARD TO FLT TEST THE EQUIP. HE NOTICED AGAIN THAT THERE WAS NOT A GOOD INDICATION OF R OR L RWY TO BE USED; HE HAD TO CLARIFY THAT HIMSELF. THE TECHNICIAN SAID IT USED TO BE A TXWY AND WAS CONVERTED WHEN THE LARGER ACRS BEGAN TO USE THE ARPT. THERE WERE SEVERAL JETS OF EUROPEAN ORIGIN PARKED ON THE RAMP. RPTR STATED THAT THE TWR OP SEEMS VERY CASUAL; PERHAPS BECAUSE OF A LOT OF TRAINING ACTIVITY AND SMALL ACFT USING THE FIELD. HE FEELS THEY NEED TO GET MORE PROFESSIONAL IN THEIR PROCS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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