A STUDENT PLT ON SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT IS CHASTISED BY CTLR AT ADM FOR ALLEGEDLY ENTERING PATTERN INCORRECTLY.
Synopsis
A STUDENT PLT ON SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT IS CHASTISED BY CTLR AT ADM FOR ALLEGEDLY ENTERING PATTERN INCORRECTLY.
Narrative
ON JUL/SAT/03; I AUTH A STUDENT PLT; TO CONDUCT A SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT FROM NW REGIONAL ARPT (52F) TO ARDMORE MUNICIPAL ARPT (ADM) TO BOWIE MUNICIPAL ARPT (0F2) AND BACK TO NW REGIONAL. PRIOR TO THIS FLT; STUDENT AND I HAD CONDUCTED 7.4 HRS OF ATC FLT TRAINING; PLUS ADDITIONAL GND HRS. WE HAVE ALSO CONDUCTED A DUAL TRAINING FLT TO ADM ON APR/MON/03. STUDENT DEPARTED ON JUL/SAT/03; AT APPROX XA30 LCL TIME AND ARRIVED IN THE ADM VICINITY AT APPROX XB40. SHE RPTED OVER LAKE MURRAY; A COMMON RPTING POINT FOR ADM. ARDMORE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED HER RADIO XMISSION AND REPLIED THAT SHE SHOULD; 'RPT L DOWNWIND RWY 17.' STUDENT READ BACK THESE INSTRUCTIONS; STATING L DOWNWIND RWY 17; AND TWR ACKNOWLEDGED WITH 2 CLICKS OF THE MIKE. STUDENT PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT AS DIRECTED AND RPTED TO TWR WHEN SHE WAS ESTABLISHED ON L DOWNWIND RWY 17. ARDMORE TWR IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED ASKING HER WHERE SHE WAS AND WHY SHE WASN'T ON R DOWNWIND RWY 17. STUDENT STARTLED BY THE URGENCY IN THE CTLR'S VOICE; RESPONDED THAT SHE WAS SORRY AND THAT SHE WAS ON L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17. SHE POINTED OUT THAT SHE HAD READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS PREVIOUSLY AND INDICATED THAT HER UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT SHE WAS IN THE PROPER POS. THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT HE DIDN'T CARE WHAT SHE HAD READ BACK; SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17 AND THAT SHE SHOULD BE ON THE W SIDE OF THE FIELD BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN THE AREA. STUDENT COMPLIED AND PROCEEDED TO R DOWNWIND RWY 17. SHE STAYED IN THE TFC PATTERN AND EXECUTED 3 LNDGS AT THE ARPT WITHOUT EVENT. UPON REFUELING THE ACFT; STUDENT CONTINUED HER XCOUNTRY TO 0F2 AND RETURNED TO 52F WITHOUT EVENT. SHE RPTED THE INCIDENT TO ME UPON HER RETURN; AND I TELEPHONED THE CTLR AT ARDMORE MUNICIPAL ARPT TO CLARIFY THE EVENTS. THE CTLR WAS BRISK AND QUESTIONED STUDENT'S TRAINING AND ABILITY TO CONDUCT A SAFE FLT IN CTLED AIRSPACE. (MOST OF STUDENT'S TRAINING HAS BEEN AT AFW AND FTW; 2 ARPTS THAT ARE MUCH BUSIER; AT LEAST WHEN WE'VE CONDUCTED OUR TRAINING; THAN AFW.) I POINTED OUT STUDENT'S VERSION OF THE EVENTS; THAT SHE HAD ACTUALLY READ BACK HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF AN ERROR AT THE TIME; AND THE CTLR ADMITTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO RECALL (WITHOUT LISTENING TO THE TAPES) THAT SHE HAD READ BACK HIS INSTRUCTIONS; AND; THAT IF SHE HAD; WHAT SHE READ BACK. AFTER HEARING BOTH SIDES OF THE INCIDENT; I HAVE DRAWN THE CONCLUSION THAT 1 OF 2 THINGS HAPPENED: 1) STUDENT MISUNDERSTOOD THE CTLR AND IMPROPERLY READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS. INSTEAD OF 'L' DOWNWIND SHE SHOULD'VE SAID 'R' DOWNWIND. THE CTLR FAILED TO CORRECT HER DURING HER READBACK. OR 2) THE CTLR IMPROPERLY DIRECTED HER TO 'L' DOWNWIND WHEN HE INTENDED HER TO ENTER ON 'R' DOWNWIND AND REALIZED HIS MISTAKE AFTER SHE WAS COMPLYING WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO RPT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.