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07-23-2014, 11:05 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,544
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Call the Tower
On the weekend, as I cleared runway 26 I heard the dreaded, "when you are able please phone the tower" In my mind I replayed my pattern, speeds, taxi, etc but could not for the life of me figure out what I had done wrong.
I was on an IFR flight plan, dense haze, one to two mile vis, and was cleared to a visual for runway 26.
When I eventually cleared customs and got to a phone the controller asked me if I was aware that I had landed on runway 31 and not 26?! No I was not, and at that point I was more then a little embarrassed, flustered etc. He was really good about it as there was little traffic, no conflicts etc and he even acknowledged that every one makes a mistake once in a while; but to me this was a big one. I have been flying for 30 years and this is a first for me.
Unfortunately the flying for 30 years is part, or likely, most of the problem. My mind does not work as quick as it once did but I still fly like it does. I have Foreflight, with runway extensions visible, two other gps maps, etc etc and I wonder if all that stuff is making me complacent.
Clearly I was disorientated and I can come up with lots of excuses, or reasons why it happened but what I am hoping for from this group are some hints, tricks, etc that you use to confirm your position relative to the runways when you approach an unfamiliar airport.
__________________
Tom Martin RV1 pilot 4.6hours!
CPL & IFR rated
EVO F1 Rocket 1000 hours,
2010 SARL Rocket 100 race, average speed of 238.6 knots/274.6mph
RV4, RV7, RV10, two HRIIs and five F1 Rockets
RV14 Tail dragger
Fairlea Field
St.Thomas, Ontario Canada, CYQS
fairleafield@gmail.com
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07-23-2014, 11:11 AM
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 759
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Thanks a lot for sharing this. Exchanges like this make us all look at our own flying, realize there is always room to improve/learn, and make us better aviators.
Just my technique - requires a heading bug - my heading bug is always on an assigned heading - departure, vector, runway. Even at my home field, I always move the heading bug to my landing azimuth. It's a habit, and a good one in my opinion.
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07-23-2014, 11:30 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Livermore, CA
Posts: 6,797
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At unfamiliar airports I always look for the runway number on my DG, e.g, if runway 30, is 300 at the bottom of the DG on downwind? 90 degrees if a base entry? or at the top if on final?
Heard over the air a few years ago:
Tower (to aircraft doing a touch and go): N123, you just landed on the left, you were cleared for the right.
N123: No we didn't. We were on the right.
Tower: make left pattern
a few minutes later, as N123 was abeam the approach end:
Tower: N123, look down at that runway. Can you read what it says?
N123: Ah, 7 left? How can that be?
It's a human factors thing. At LVK the winds favor 25 most of the time, and pilots come to associate "the right" with the northern runway. So when the wind shifts to favor 7, they "think" 7R is still the northern most runway.
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07-23-2014, 11:41 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Flathead Lake Montana - 8S1
Posts: 334
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Tom, thank you for sharing and reminding us all we are human, make mistakes and need to remain alert. I too have landed on the wrong runway. It was at Missoula Montana and was the end of a stressful IFR flight, had a load of ice on the canard and was sweating fuel. Same deal; "when you get a chance call the tower". It was shrugged off by the local controller, but I've never forgotten the situation or the pit in my stomach hearing those words on the radio.
I've also had a request to call the tower on two other occasions, but in those cases it wasn't a gross error on my part.
Dick Kreidel
__________________
'83 LongEZ - N888EZ 3,671 hours
'89 LimoEZ - N26EZ 686 hours (sold)
A couple of Glasairs and a Lancair 320...
Next: a RV14 need something to build
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07-23-2014, 11:43 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
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Read my tag line....
I have no hints or procedures. I hope I can see the numbers to confirm.
My situational awareness is not as good as many I know. I am always impressed by those who have the ability to manage complex flight scenarios and still even find the airport, let alone the right runway.
I have been cleared on a runway from a mid entry taxiway and turned the wrong way. The tower was very kind.
"RV, stop, turn around, go the other way. You will have 2000' of runway in front of you. The 4000' in front of you now is soon to be occupied by the Dash8 on final."
I have an OSH story that I won't tell in this post, but the NASA form was filed....
Embarrassing..... but nothing damaged but ego. I let that go years ago. Operating an aircraft can be humbling.
__________________
Smart People do Stupid things all the time. I know, I've seen me do'em.
RV6 - Builder/Flying
Bucker Jungmann
Fiat G.46 -(restoration in progress, if I have enough life left in me)
RV1 - Proud Pilot.
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07-23-2014, 11:49 AM
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,012
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Re. the tower calling you, I certainly hope you just get a "warning". You asked for hints or suggestions, here you go. Just arriving from an IFR flight, what happened to the approach brief? MICEATM. Am I cleared to land? Check inbound heading to land, verify with eyeballs if you can. Not much more complex than that, IMVHO. Humans are terribly unreliable. Even two person pro crews land on the wrong runway occasionally. You just got bit.
Last edited by Low Pass : 07-23-2014 at 01:30 PM.
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07-23-2014, 01:22 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: KSGJ / TJBQ
Posts: 2,039
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I did the same thing many years ago (Rwy 23 vs 27 at KMLB) during the engine out landing portion of my Commercial Multi-Engine check ride. I weaseled out of it by saying that with a dead engine I wasn't about to do low level maneuvering when I had a perfectly good and empty runway dead ahead of me.
The DPE thought about it a second then said "Good answer, but next time land on the runway he tells you to." I got my CMEL ticket that day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 60av8tor
Just my technique - requires a heading bug - my heading bug is always on an assigned heading - departure, vector, runway. Even at my home field, I always move the heading bug to my landing azimuth. It's a habit, and a good one in my opinion.
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Now with my airplane I use this same technique and it works for me.

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07-23-2014, 01:49 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 1,166
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Tom, make sure you fill out a NASA form. We all make mistakes and the form is cheap insurance. You can do it online and cut and paste from here. I would call the vis 3 miles when you fill out the form.
George
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07-23-2014, 01:54 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Collierville, TN (KFYE)
Posts: 1,433
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I haven't landed on the wrong runway YET, but I have found that when I make the most embarrassing mistakes is when I let myself get in a hurry, and that usually occurs when I am at a large, very busy airport. Last week at Chicago Midway, I made multiple minor mistakes (failed to turn transponder to "on" on the ground per that airport's requirement, fat fingered the transponder code, and turned briefly onto the wrong taxiway. Fortunately, no violations, but plenty of "red face".
I've told myself over and over again to slow it down and don't get hurried, but it's a strong impulse when the controllers are rattling off the instructions and you have Southwest 737s behind you on the taxiway.
__________________
RV-8 #81077 Super Slow Build
Dynon Skyview HDX, Titan IOX-370, Dual P-Mags, AFP FM200A FI, Whirlwind 200RV CS Prop
First Flight 11/20/2016
www.marksrv8.com
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07-23-2014, 01:56 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Martin
On the weekend, as I cleared runway 26 I heard the dreaded, "when you are able please phone the tower" In my mind I replayed my pattern, speeds, taxi, etc but could not for the life of me figure out what I had done wrong.
I was on an IFR flight plan, dense haze, one to two mile vis, and was cleared to a visual for runway 26.
When I eventually cleared customs and got to a phone the controller asked me if I was aware that I had landed on runway 31 and not 26?! No I was not, and at that point I was more then a little embarrassed, flustered etc. He was really good about it as there was little traffic, no conflicts etc and he even acknowledged that every one makes a mistake once in a while; but to me this was a big one. I have been flying for 30 years and this is a first for me.
Unfortunately the flying for 30 years is part, or likely, most of the problem. My mind does not work as quick as it once did but I still fly like it does. I have Foreflight, with runway extensions visible, two other gps maps, etc etc and I wonder if all that stuff is making me complacent.
Clearly I was disorientated and I can come up with lots of excuses, or reasons why it happened but what I am hoping for from this group are some hints, tricks, etc that you use to confirm your position relative to the runways when you approach an unfamiliar airport.
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I'd like to know why the tower didn't advise you about the wrong runway before you landed on it. The local controller should be certain about who is landing where. Therefore, I will be charitable and assume that he did know you were landing on the wrong runway, and elected to have you continue the approach and landing, since it was safe to do so.
__________________
Joe Roberts
Project Manager
Take Flight! New Life Fellowship Teen Aircraft Build Program
San Antonio, Texas
Dues Paid March 2016
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