A NEW TWR IS A FACTOR IN A CLASS D AIRSPACE PENETRATION; AND RWY INCURSION WHEN LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC; BY AN M20J ATP PLT AT DTO.
Synopsis
A NEW TWR IS A FACTOR IN A CLASS D AIRSPACE PENETRATION; AND RWY INCURSION WHEN LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC; BY AN M20J ATP PLT AT DTO.
Narrative
ON JUL/THU/04; I REVIEWED A CURRENT DFW SECTIONAL (EXPIRES SEP/XA/04) AND PLANNED A SHORT FLT FROM MINERAL WELLS (MWL) TO DENTON (DTO). I CALLED AFSS FOR A STANDARD BRIEFING. ON THE CURRENT SECTIONAL; DTO IS MAGENTA (NO TWR). DURING THE BRIEFING THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A NEW TWR IN THE NOTAMS. I MADE THE FLT; CALLING TFC ON 122.7 (PUBLISHED CTAF ON SECTIONAL). I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A NEW TWR ON THE FIELD AS I TAXIED TO THE RAMP. I WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISED TO SEE LIGHT SIGNALS COMING FROM THE NEW TWR. I IMMEDIATELY WENT IN THE TERMINAL AND CALLED THE TWR AND EXPLAINED I HAD A CURRENT CHART AND HAD RECEIVED A BRIEFING. THEY CALLED AFSS AND WERE TOLD THE TWR WAS IN THE NEW ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY (AFD); AND THEREFORE NOT IN NOTAMS AS PART OF A BRIEFING. I APOLOGIZED TO THE TWR; AND ASSURED THEM IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I FAILED PART 91.103 PREFLT ACTION WHICH REQUIRES 'BECOME FAMILIAR WITH ALL AVAILABLE INFO.' I HAVE AN ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY (CURRENT); BUT DID NOT CHK IT. THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ERROR. ANOTHER SOLUTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN TO BE ON A FLT PLAN AND COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. I DID NOT DO THIS BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A SHORT FLT (ABOUT 15 MINS) TO A FAMILIAR ARPT (ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE I FLEW INTO DTO; I USED TO FLY THERE FREQUENTLY). NOW FOR A FEW THOUGHTS I HAVE HAD SINCE THIS INCIDENT: I AM A CONSCIENTIOUS PLT THAT TAKES FLYING SAFETY SERIOUSLY. I FOLLOW RULES TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. I AM NOT PLEASED THAT I FLEW INTO AN AREA WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF PROPER COMS AND COORD WITH OTHER ACFT; POSSIBLY CREATING A DANGEROUS SIT. I HAVE BEEN FLYING SINCE 1977; AND HAVE NEVER FELT THE NEED TO CHK THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY BEFORE EVERY FLT AND EVERY LNDG TO EVERY ARPT TO SEE IF THERE IS A NEW TWR THAT IS NOT INDICTED ON A SECTIONAL NOR MENTIONED IN A BRIEFING. I AM SHOCKED THAT A NEW TWR IS NOT A MANDATORY NOTAM UNTIL NEW UPDATED SECTIONALS ARE PUBLISHED. FURTHER; I HAVE FLOWN WITH MANY OTHER PLTS WITH VARYING EXPERIENCE LEVELS; AND I CAN ASSURE YOU FEW; IF ANY; CHK THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY FOR NEW TWRS EITHER. IF WE (COLLECTIVELY -- PLTS; ATC; FAA; FSS; ETC) ARE REALLY TRYING TO PROMOTE SAFETY; WHY WOULDN'T A NEW TWR BE KEPT AS AN ACTIVE NOTAM UNTIL NEW CHARTS ARE PUBLISHED? (AND NOT JUST; 'WELL; IT'S IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY!') ALSO; I WAS CALLING TFC ON THE CTAF PUBLISHED ON THE CURRENT SECTIONAL; WHY DOESN'T A NEW TWR MONITOR THE OLD CTAF AND SAY 'HEY; ARE YOU AWARE THERE IS A NEW TWR AT DTO?' TOO MUCH TO ASK? SEEMS COMMON SENSE TO ME. ARE WE FOCUSING ON SAFETY HERE; OR WHAT PLTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR? LAST; BUT NOT LEAST; WHY NOT HAVE A SHORT MESSAGE ON ASOS/AWOS 'CAUTION -- NEW TWR AT ARPT.' MAYBE THIS ISN'T CURRENTLY TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE; BUT MAYBE IT SHOULD BE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INSURING AIRPLANES ARE COMMUNICATING AND COORDINATING TO PROMOTE SAFETY. SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.