TFC CONGESTION AND ATC HANDLING PROBS IN THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AT TUS; AZ; RESULT IN A GAR AND INAPPROPRIATE RWY XING CLRNC.

Date: 2000-11 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|conflict-ground-conflict|critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|other-atc-handling

Synopsis

TFC CONGESTION AND ATC HANDLING PROBS IN THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AT TUS; AZ; RESULT IN A GAR AND INAPPROPRIATE RWY XING CLRNC.

Narrative

RETURNING TO TUS ARPT THROUGH REDINGTON PASS; I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BY APCH TO PROCEED TO ''A-MOUNTAIN' AT OR ABOVE 6000 FT; EXPECT RWY 11 AT 'A-MOUNTAIN.'' I WAS HANDED OFF TO TWR. I WAS LEVEL AT '6200 FT MSL.' I REQUESTED RWY 21 AND WAS TOLD TO ENTER R BASE FOR RWY 21 AND TO KEEP TO THE R OF THE FREEWAY. I WAS ADVISED THAT I WOULD BE #2 BEHIND A SARATOGA ON A L BASE FOR RWY 21. I REQUESTED A CANCELLATION OF MY ALT RESTR AND IT WAS GRANTED. LOOKING FOR THE SARATOGA; I SAW TFC AT MY 9 O'CLOCK POS AND ADVISED TWR. I PREVIOUSLY HAD HEARD THAT THE SARATOGA WAS ON A 7 MI FINAL. I NOW CONFIRMED THAT THE TFC AT MY 9 O'CLOCK POS WAS AN A-10 MANEUVERING NEAR DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB 4 MI TO MY L. THE CTLR RESPONDED AND AGAIN ADVISED ME THAT I WAS #2 FOR RWY 21. BY NOW; I WAS WELL PAST THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 21. IN HIS CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT; I HEARD THE CTLR START TO GIVE HDG VECTORS THEN SAY; 'NO; NO; CONTINUE;' THEN 'LET'S SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT.' WHEN HE FINALLY CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 21; I WAS ABOUT 1 MI PAST THE CTRLINE AND HAD TO EXECUTE A 180 DEG TURN IN ORDER TO RETURN TO A POS WHERE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ALIGN WITH THE RWY. MY LNDG WAS A LITTLE LONG AND A LITTLE FAST. ON ROLLOUT; JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN; I SAW THE SARATOGA SLIGHTLY TO MY R READY TO LAND IN FRONT OF ME ON RWY 11L. WHEN ASKED IF I COULD MAKE THE L TXWY EXIT; I RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE.' THE CTLR DIRECTED THE SARATOGA TO GO AROUND. I WAS CLRED FOR A 180 DEG TURN ON RWY 21 AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 11L (PARALLEL RWYS). IN FACT; I WAS BTWN RWY 11R AND RWY 11L. I WAS THEN CLRED TO MY PARKING VIA TXWY 3 XING RWY 11L. I HAD JUST STARTED TO ROLL AND LOOKED TO MY L PRIOR TO XING RWY 11L AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT JUST READY TO TOUCH DOWN. I BELIEVE IT WAS A LEARJET. IF I HADN'T STOPPED; I DOUBT IF I WOULD BE ALIVE TO WRITE THIS. THE CTLR AGAIN CLRED ME TO CROSS RWY 11L AND TO CONTACT GND WHEN ACROSS. HE ALSO SAID 'THANKS.' I ASSUME THIS WAS IN REGARD TO MY HAVING STOPPED. MY RESPONSE WAS 'YOU SCARED ME.' AFTER XING AND CONTACTING GND; I TAXIED TO MY PARKING AREA. MY PAX REMARKED THAT ALL WAS WELL DURING OUR WK-LONG TRANSCONTINENTAL FLT AND NOW THAT WE ARE HOME THE CTLRS ARE TRYING TO KILL US.

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