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.
I, a student pilot, reported in and requested landing at 10 nm northwest of ZZZ. I neglected to note I was a student pilot during the call.
I was given instruction to proceed direct to base XXR at best safest speed. There were several aircraft reporting in for landing.
When I entered base XXR, I was instructed by tower to turn in 45°, direct to the numbers clear to land. At this point I was descending at approximately 1,300 MSL. I was about 10 knots fast in the descent, however I executed a landing approximately 200-300 yards past the VASI.
Due to my speed, I was unable to exit the runway at the first taxiway. Tower reported that I was to exit at Runway XY. That message came in garbled and I was unable to clearly hear that message. I was unable to turn at Runway XY.
Tower contacted me and I told them I had past the runway and needed to continue to Taxiway 1. They in turn asked aircraft landing behind me to go around. Upon exiting on Taxiway 1, tower told me to proceed via Taxiway 2 to destination.
I attempted to contact ground on my second radio, a KX 155 TSO. I was unable to transmit and receive any messages. Simultaneously tower notified me to contact ground, as I was attempting to change my primary radio, a Garmin GNS 430, to ground frequency. Tower commented over the radio for me to ensure in the future I communicated if I was going to miss a turn for correction in the future.
After making successful contact with ground, I provided my destination location, and was asked to move via Taxiway 2, crossing Runway XZ and hold at XX for landing aircraft. Following the hold, and ground clearance, I proceeded to final destination.
Cause
First error occurred in pilot not relaying student pilot status.
Second error occurred when pilot accepted the tower direction for 45° cut in from base to the numbers. This led me to be slightly higher in altitude and speed than my normal previous experienced landings, but I felt I could do it. This caused me to overshoot the area for general aviation aircraft.
This, combined with the tight positioning of aircraft in the pattern, caused tower to need to ask next in line aircraft to go around.
Final error: Upon noticing I was having an issue with my radio, I should have communicated that with tower, while also switching primary radio to ground frequency.
Solution
Ensure pilot announces student pilot status to tower until no longer in student status.
Second, upon receiving something outside my normal experience, I could have requested a change in pattern and reminded tower of student status, which may have changed tower’s approach to the line-up.
As I noticed the long landing, knowing of the subsequent traffic, I could have requested a go-around.
Lastly, I will be submitting my secondary radio set for inspection at qualified avionics shop.
Primary Problem: Ambiguous
ACN: 2142508
You did fine. You learned from what you perceived as mistakes. I’d argue that you did fine. ATC cleared you to land, the runway is yours. If you miss a taxiway, you miss it. Go to the next one and exit.
Nice job, some other comments notwithstanding.
You did fine. As a retired Air Force controller and CFI it appears to me tower was running THE pattern too tight. Probably should have extended you on downwind or given you a 360, but you “own” the runway and did the right thing as your rollout was too fast to make that taxiway. Yes “student pilot” might have helped the tower to not turn you in tight but, again, you did the right thing.
I got in one of those types of senaro’s as a student 1st cross country to land at 3 different locations!! I was on final and tower called and said expedite you have a Air force T-38 following you for a touch an go??
Du what do I do??
If that’s the worst problem you have, or mistake you make, you’ll be doing well.
Part of being a (student) pilot is making mistakes,
what matters is how you handle them.
Landing long and fast, and missing the first turnoff…
pretty minor issues.
Maybe ATC shouldn’t have directed you to shorten your pattern,
“proceed direct to the numbers”, so maybe the controller learned a lesson there too.
Just a tip…I like to have the ground frequency already dialed into my flip-flop com radio,
so when I turn off the runway it’s just a simple push of the button.
Scott Patterson above is a little harsh. Or maybe just a perfect pilot throughout his career who never had a ‘could have done things different/better moment’.
Personally, I’d rather share a lobby, breakroom, ramp, hundred dollar hamburger, cockpit, pattern, or any airspace with the student Pilot.
My comment is directed at the CFI in that this student wasn’t ready to address non standard instruction or situations. Probably due to commonly used rote training.
The student Pilot gained experience and nobody got hurt. I commend his composure and good judgement. Good to have him joining our industry.
I think/hope ATC learned something too.
1) You were ASKED to expedite your approach
2) You came in hot and floated 3 lines past the CAPTAIN’s Bars
3) You were too fast to exit at the cross runway
4) You “forced” following traffic to go around
5) YOU ARE PIC. Sucks to be ATC.
You did nothing wrong. Let the rest of the world suck it up.
Agree. And he should be commended for not attempting to exit the runway with excess taxi speed (like an airline pilot did nine months ago).
Problem #1, you weren’t ready to solo.
I’ve been flying over 50 years and have never been asked to reduce a base leg to a 45 degree approach to the numbers. They don’t train students for that. It’s highly irregular.
Most of the problem here was created by the tower’s mishandling of the traffic in the pattern. A couple of “extend downwind. I’ll call your base” would have got things safely under control.
The student’s only real shortcoming was failing to tell the tower “unable.” (On the 45 degree shortcut.). Something his CFI might never have brought up.
The problem with contacting ground had nothing to do with the issue.