RPTING PLT OF AN SEL SMA QUESTIONED THE TWR CTLR'S GAR INSTRUCTIONS DURING LNDG APCH DUE TO OBSERVING THE PREVIOUS LNDG RANS S-7 (AMATEUR BUILT) HAD ALREADY CLRED THE RWY. HOWEVER; THE TWR CTLR BELIEVED THAT THE RPTR HAD NOT RESPONDED AT ONCE TO THE GAR AND THREATENED LEGAL ACTION.

Date: 1999-10 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|other-plt-delayed-response-to-clrnc

Synopsis

RPTING PLT OF AN SEL SMA QUESTIONED THE TWR CTLR'S GAR INSTRUCTIONS DURING LNDG APCH DUE TO OBSERVING THE PREVIOUS LNDG RANS S-7 (AMATEUR BUILT) HAD ALREADY CLRED THE RWY. HOWEVER; THE TWR CTLR BELIEVED THAT THE RPTR HAD NOT RESPONDED AT ONCE TO THE GAR AND THREATENED LEGAL ACTION.

Narrative

I HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND BEHIND A LIGHT EXPERIMENTAL (A RANS S-7) THAT WAS CLRING THE RWY AFTER A SHORT GND ROLL. THE TWR CTLR XMITTED AN UNEXPECTED 'GAR.' I INITIATED A GAR; AND PICKED UP THE MIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE; BUT COULD NOT DO SO BEFORE TWR REPEATED THE INSTRUCTION WITH UNNECESSARY URGENCY. THE RANS WAS NOW PAST THE TXWY HOLD LINE; TURNING ONTO THE PARALLEL TXWY. I ASSURED TWR THAT I COULD GO AROUND; AND ADVISED THAT THE RWY APPEARED TO BE CLR. NO REPLY. I FLEW PAST THE EXPERIMENTAL'S EXIT POINT; AND ASKED 'DO YOU STILL WANT ME TO GO AROUND?' AFTER A SHORT DELAY; TWR CLRED ME TO LAND. I ACKNOWLEDGED; AND DID SO. (I STILL HAD ABOUT 7000 FT OF RWY.) GND CTL REQUESTED A CALL. I COMPLIED. HE WAS QUITE AGITATED; AND ASSERTED THAT 'GAR' WAS A COMMAND THAT REQUIRED ABSOLUTE COMPLIANCE; THAT CTLRS CARRY THAT DESIGNATION BECAUSE THEY ARE IN CTL; AND THREATENED NTSB ACTION. THERE WASN'T MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR A USEFUL DISCUSSION. I DON'T THINK HE UNDERSTOOD THAT I WAS 'ON THE GO' WHEN REQUESTING A CONFIRMATION OF TWR'S VIEW OF THE SIT. I BELIEVE THAT SOME PHASE OF CTLR TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS; THAT THE GND CTLR WAS THE SHIFT SUPVR; AND THAT THE TRAINEE AND SUPVR BOTH LOST TRACK OF THE EXPERIMENTAL WHEN HE LEFT THE RWY. THEIR EXPECTATION MUST HAVE BEEN THAT HE WOULD NOT USE THAT EXIT; AND PROBABLY WERE CONVINCED THAT HE WAS IN MY WAY. I COULD SEE THAT WAS NOT THE CASE; AND ASSUMED THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER PROB. I FELT THAT THE EASIEST COM WAS TO LET THEM KNOW THE RWY APPEARED TO BE CLR FOR ME. WHEN I RECEIVED MY SECOND CLRNC TO LAND; I WAS CONVINCED THAT THEY HAD FOUND THE RANS ON THE TXWY AND NOW AGREED WITH ME THAT THE RWY WAS; AND HAD BEEN; CLR. I NEVER REFUSED TO COMPLY; BUT DID WANT AN AFFIRMATION OF THEIR NEED FOR A GAR BEFORE CONTINUING ON THAT PATH. MY SPACING ON THE S-7 WAS ABOUT NORMAL. THERE WAS SOME CLOSURE AS HE SLOWED AND LEFT THE RWY. I WAS FULLY AWARE THAT IF HE DIDN'T USE THAT TXWY HE WOULD STILL BE ON THE RWY; AND WOULD PROBABLY NOT HAVE PROPER SEPARATION FOR MY LNDG; BUT IT WAS FULLY APPARENT THAT HE WAS CLRING BEFORE TWR'S FIRST CALL. I AM DISMAYED THAT THIS EVENT CREATED CTLR CONCERN; AND AM DISTURBED WITH THE SUPVR'S ATTITUDE. I INTEND TO AVOID A RECURRENCE OF THIS SCENARIO BY ADDING A MI OR TWO TO MY TFC PATTERN SEPARATION AT THIS ARPT IN THE FUTURE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.