PIPER PA30 PLT GNDED BY THE CHIEF FLT INSTRUCTOR OF A PLT SCHOOL DUE TO ERRATIC TFC PATTERN AND APCH TO THE TXWY INSTEAD OF THE RWY AT A NON TWR ARPT.

Date: 2001-10 · Aircraft: PA-30 Twin Comanche · Phase: landing

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-track-heading-all-types|other-apch-to-txwy

Synopsis

PIPER PA30 PLT GNDED BY THE CHIEF FLT INSTRUCTOR OF A PLT SCHOOL DUE TO ERRATIC TFC PATTERN AND APCH TO THE TXWY INSTEAD OF THE RWY AT A NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative

I SET OUT FROM OFP AT ABOUT XA30 LCL; TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT 2 ARPTS IN EASTERN VIRGINIA. AT ABOUT XE15 LCL I WAS RETURNING TO OFP ON A 270 DEG HDG. THE WIND WAS FROM ABOUT 240 DEGS AT ABOUT 8 KTS. AS I APCHED THE ARPT I MADE THE UNICOM CALL FOR ENTRY TO DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16; AND CARRIED OUT MY LNDG CHKLIST. I MADE THE BASE LEG TURN AND CALL; GLANCED AT THE CONSTRUCTION; AND TURNED FINAL AND MADE THE CALL. I LEVELED ON FINAL AND PASSED 250 FT AGL DSNDING. IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS A CALL OF 'COMANCHE GO AROUND!' I CARRIED OUT THE 'GAR' PROC; AND SLIPPED THE AIRPLANE L TO THE RWY CTRLINE. FOR SOME REASON; THAT I CANNOT EXPLAIN; I HAD LINED UP FOR FINAL ON THE TXWY. I FLEW THE 'MISSED APCH' TO 800 FT AGL ON THE RWY CTRLINE; THEN TURNED XWIND AND MADE THE CALL. I CONTINUED IN THE PATTERN AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG ON THE RWY. I PERMITTED THE AIRPLANE TO ROLL TO THE S END OF THE RWY AND THEN TURNED ONTO THE TXWY TO PROCEED TO MY HANGAR. UPON ARR AT MY HANGAR; I FOUND THE CHIEF INSTRUCTOR AND ONE OF HIS ASSOCIATES WAITING FOR ME. THEY WERE FRANK. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS EXHIBITING SIGNS OF ADVANCED EXHAUSTION. THEY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD SEEK MEDICAL ASSESSMENT. THEY TOLD ME THAT I COULD ONLY FLY AT OFP IF ONE OF THEM WAS ONBOARD AS INSTRUCTOR. THEY WERE GOING TO PERFORM A FULL ASSESSMENT OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL AND I WAS ENCOURAGED TO COMPLY.

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