Flight Training - March/April 2020 - 14

PREFLIGHT FLIGHT LESSON

BY SAM FINK

FOOTBALL INTERFERENCE
AVOID COMPLACENCY WHEN YOU'RE ON A BBQ RUN

WHAT HAPPENED

Had I gotten a full briefing, I would have seen
the notam.

IT WAS A GORGEOUS SATURDAY, NOT A CLOUD IN THE

14 FLIGHT TRAINING MARCH/APRIL 2020

NASA REPORTS

HEADS UP
An anonymous system
makes aviation safer
In 1974, a TWA Boeing
727 hit a ridge while
approaching Dulles
International Airport,
killing all 92 aboard. The
accident, which bore
similarities to a recent
incident reported by a
United Airlines crew, led
to the creation of the
Aviation Safety Reporting System to gather
data on potential safety
hazards in the aviation
system. To preserve anonymity and encourage
the free reporting of
incidents, this program is
administered by NASA.

Pilots, controllers, dispatchers,
crew, mechanics
and others may
submit reports to
the NASA system.
Learn more or file a
report online
(asrs.arc.nasa.gov).

LEFT: ALEX WILLIAMSON; ABOVE: STEVE KARP

sky nor the slightest breeze. I decided to go for a
$100 Korean barbecue run with some friends, to an
airport where I have landed many times. It is about
a 30-minute flight to the airport, which is nontowered and not typically super busy. Given it was such
a pleasant day and a familiar flight, I didn't get a full
weather briefing.
I did do some basic checks, such as looking for
temporary flight restrictions and pulling up the
airport page on ForeFlight, where it typically shows
a red box that lists notams. I discovered there was a
TFR near the airport set to go into effect later that
day (well after our departure time) because of a football game at a nearby college. On the airport page of
ForeFlight, something popped up saying that one of
the two runways was closed, but no other notams.
Our flight there was uneventful. The automated
weather observing system (AWOS) mentioned the
notam about the runway being closed, specifically
that it was closed to serve as parking for aircraft coming for the football game. It also gave taxi directions
for fans coming for the game.
After lunch, I started up and listened to the AWOS
again. It made the same mention of the runway closure,
and taxi instructions. Announcing my taxi on the common traffic advisory frequency, I headed toward the
runway. Just prior to the runway, the FBO contacted

me on the radio to advise me the temporary
ground controller needed to talk to me.
To say I was surprised would be an
understatement! I hadn't the slightest clue
there was a temporary tower in operation,
with a ground frequency and tower frequency separate from the CTAF, apparently.
It went into operation after our arrival, but
right before departure. I called the ground
controller and he issued taxi instructions,
which was rather comical since I was pretty
much at the hold-short line at this point. He
didn't make any mention of my indiscretion, no number to call or anything, and I
got takeoff clearance and proceeded with a
normal return flight. Upon arrival, I did file
a NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System
report, since this could be classified as a
surface incident.
Overall, this was on me, as it is the pilot's
responsibility to thoroughly investigate the
notams for every flight. I let complacency
interfere, and didn't consider how a football
game could affect the local airport, aside
from the nearby TFR. Had I gotten a full
briefing, I would have seen the notam. Ordinarily, it would pop up on the airport page
on ForeFlight, but it apparently glitched out.
That said, it did seem odd that the
AWOS made mention of the runway
closure, but no mention of a temporary
tower. Additionally, the AWOS giving taxi
instructions seemed to make it even less
likely there was a ground controller. I think
I understand why the tower operated on
different frequencies from the CTAF, but it
makes it pretty easy for somebody to show
up talking on the CTAF/unicom, and the
tower wouldn't know unless they visually
spotted them, or the FBO folks told them.
Although I felt a bit foolish, it was a meaningful day. Along with the greater weather
and stupendous barbecue, I learned an
important lesson on avoiding complacency
in order to be a safe and competent pilot.

http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov

Flight Training - March/April 2020

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