This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
While piloting my aircraft at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL), I was holding short of Runway 33 at Taxiway A1, and I contacted the Tower and requested to takeoff Runway 33 and remain in the pattern for landing Runway 33.
Tower cleared me for takeoff, advising me of an aircraft just departing ahead on Runway 33. I was instructed by the Tower to remain in left closed traffic for Runway 33.
After climbing to pattern altitude, I turned crosswind, and then downwind for Runway 33. While mid-field downwind for Runway 33, I noticed several aircraft targets ahead of me to the south were all converging toward Runway 33 on my ADS-B display, one from the east and one from the west, both apparently on base for Runway 33 from opposite directions, and a third target (Aircraft Y) approaching from the southeast. Spacing among all three appeared inadequate.
The Controller told Aircraft Y from the southeast to report three mile final. I was scanning the sky and acquired visual contact on all three aircraft. Aircraft Y was unable to turn final due to inadequate spacing with the other two aircraft. I was unable to continue in the standard traffic pattern, as I needed to maneuver east to avoid Aircraft Y as it crossed through final from the southeast and across the downwind to the west, which I estimated to be 500 feet in front of me and 300 feet overhead. Turning east was the safest alternative to remain clear of Aircraft Y and the other two aircraft, as I had them all in sight.
The Controller began shouting to all of the pilots “I don’t have radar! I see two targets converging to the south!” The Controller sounded very anxious.
I immediately informed the Tower that I was maneuvering to avoid Aircraft Y now in front and above me.
I recall that the Controller then called one of the other aircraft and said loudly to “leave the pattern!” but his instructions were not clear. He then asked where everyone was located.
I clearly and calmly replied “Aircraft X, turned left base to avoid the traffic conflict” with Aircraft Y. The Controller then asked seconds later, “Who is that on left base?”, and I again replied calmly “this is Aircraft X on mid-left base.”
He then cleared me to land Runway 33, told the traffic ahead on final to turn east, and then instructed Aircraft Y (now west of the field) to return to land on Runway 33.
There was inadequate traffic spacing for incoming traffic entering the pattern, and incomplete awareness by the Controller of the four aircraft positions relative to one another, followed by his distraught demeanor and very exasperated tone as he complained of having no radar feed. It is also possible that the Controller forgot about my aircraft position in the pattern and that he had instructed me to maintain closed left traffic for Runway 33.
I did my best to remain clear of any traffic conflict, communicate calmly and clearly, and defuse the Controller’s anxious situation, while maintaining safe spacing from all traffic in the pattern.
I was cleared to land Runway 33 and did so safely, and taxied to parking as directed by the controller. No other communication took place between me and the controller.
As a recommended solution, the temporary Tower at KFNL needs a radar feed installed as soon as possible for better situational awareness for the Controllers. The Controller’s shouting and anxious tone heightened the tension of the situation for the other pilots, which was not helpful in this scenario. A professional demeanor by the Controller with clear, yet rapid instructions would have been more effective at resolving the traffic conflicts.
Primary Problem: ATC Equipment
ACN: 1818646
Pardon my non experience with non-towered airports, but how do they work without radar?
I’ve pretty well avoided the traffic pattern chaos for 45 years by avoiding the “recommended” pattern procedures. The posts suggests a more professional controller and radar…..to pilots that don’t know where they are and can’t maintain professional conduct themselves….Yes?
But then, how many need continual training to remember to put fuel in and gear down?
What happened to my post?
Apparently the same thing as mine…whatever that was!
Its what called in the ATC business , as “losing the picture.” He allowed too planes , for his ability, to converge in his pattern. Either tell the inbounds, call me back in five mins pattern is full, have you wait a couple of mins on the ground to clear the pattern or let you up, and have you make one or two right 360s on the downwind to buy time and clean up the final to fit you , make the extra ones coming from the se enter downwind , then peel each of you off to the base , as I see fit or have you report the preceding traffic in sight. there are many ways to do this. He didnt keep control of his pattern because, of a variety of reasons: newly certified, too long certified and losing it, relying too much on radar to solve his problem. The basic tenant of a vfr tower , is a controller using their eyeballs combined with good binoculars (in all towers), great judgement and keeping the mental picture at all times and anticipating 3steps ahead. It does take time and experience to develop these characteristics that make an awesome controller. When i worked in towers, i talking to you, but thinking 3 transmissions ahead. Hope this helps
That controller was probably scared to death there would be a confluence of four aircraft in a world-class fiery crash. Granted, it’s generally saluted to be ‘cool under fire.’ However, as has been heard in dozens of crash analysis videos featuring recordings of controllers who were seemingly too cool and detached from a desperate pilot claiming ‘partial panel’ or something similar and potentially deadly, sometimes sounding the alarm bells and a high level of concern in a manager’s voice causes the managed to go on high alert and scramble for safety. In this account, it is unknown whether the other three aircraft even perceived the presence and danger of the others in a tight pattern, all of whom assumed the right of entry into rwy 33. That controller was relying solely on visual sighting of the four aircraft. Scary is an understatement. And for cryin’ out loud: get radar installed over there to give that man the minimum tools necessary to do his job effectively! Lives depend on it. Regards/J