PA28 PLT BECOMES CONFUSED IN TFC PATTERN; APPARENTLY CUTS OFF TFC HE WAS TO FOLLOW; AND LANDS.

Date: 2001-02 · Aircraft: PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|other-crew-intimidation

Synopsis

PA28 PLT BECOMES CONFUSED IN TFC PATTERN; APPARENTLY CUTS OFF TFC HE WAS TO FOLLOW; AND LANDS.

Narrative

I WAS TOLD TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 26L AT SUS ARPT. I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW AN ACFT THAT WAS AIRBORNE AND ABOUT 1 MI AWAY. I DIDN'T SEE ACFT AT ANYTIME. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE #4 IN BACK OF THIS ACFT. I WAS DIRECTED TO FOLLOW ACFT DOWNWIND TO RWY 26R. I CONTINUED DOWNWIND PAST APCH END OF RWY 26R. CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTINUE E AND GIVE WAY TO ACFT IN FRONT WHICH I NEVER DID SEE. I WAS TOLD TFC WAS IN FRONT AND RIGHT THEN IN FRONT AND L. I NEVER SAW ANY TFC AND TURNED TO THE R; BASICALLY TO GIVE WAY TO ACFT THAT I NEVER SAW. I SAW NO OTHER ACFT OR ANY TFC AND TURNED FINAL TO RWY 26R. AT THAT TIME; I WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO LAND; BUT NOT TO CONTINUE TOUCH-AND-GO. I EXITED RWY IN CONFUSION; WAITED FOR TAXI INSTRUCTION; BUT IN A STATE OF CONFUSION. I TAXIED ONTO THE RAMP AND GOT CLR COM TO TAXI BACK TO MY HOME BASE. I ACTED IN NO WAY OF DEFIANCE TO CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WAS A LOT OF TFC DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES AND ACTED ONLY TO OPERATE AS SAFELY AS I POSSIBLY COULD IN THE CONFUSION. I MAKE NO EXCUSES; BUT I THINK THE CTLR AT THIS ARPT SHOULD PREVENT TOO MUCH TFC TO BE OPERATING AT ANYTIME.

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