Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Landing Without Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
I as the Local Controller departed aircraft X to the north off of Runway 32L. He was slightly unfamiliar with the 32 Runways; but I recognized the call sign as a fairly frequent flyer at CCR. I gave him instructions to depart; and later he called back inbound from the north with negative ATIS. I gave aircraft X the current altimeter and surface winds at CCR. He proceeded inbound with the instruction to enter a 2 mile right traffic entry for Runway 32R; and told to report a 2 mile 45.I saw aircraft X inbound 3 miles north of the field and cleared him to land number 3 to follow aircraft Z who was midfield right downwind. As aircraft X continued inbound; he entered more of a base entry when I saw him out the window again approximately a mile northeast of the field. Then aircraft X turned right downwind. Aircraft X never reported aircraft Z in sight so I updated aircraft X on the traffic to follow; which was now on short final. Aircraft X responded with 'in sight.' 3 minutes later aircraft X asked; 'Am I on the right track for the runway?' I had lost sight of aircraft X somewhere after turning base to final about a mile and a half south east of the field due to the sun and slight haze in the east area where he was. I informed him stating 'Not in sight; and the 32s point northwest bound; are you headed northwest bound?' Aircraft X immediately after I said that; then said: 'turning final now.'At this point; I also had aircraft Y on about a 1 mile final for Runway 32L who did report on final. I cleared aircraft Y to land on Runway 32L. I again cleared aircraft X to land on Runway 32R. I still did not see aircraft X; and asked him to say his altitude. He responded and I did not understand what he said. I asked him to clarify if he said 1;600 feet AGL or 300 feet AGL. Aircraft X then spoke up saying; 'I'm landing on 1L.' I immediately issued a go around to aircraft X because of 3 reasons. First I did not have control of Runway 1L as it was ground controls; second because vehicles were maneuvering on the runway and a mower was just east of the runway edge; and 3rd because aircraft Y was on very short final now for the active Runway 32L.There was no response from aircraft X. Approximately 2 seconds later; I keyed up again to say go around; but only stuttered 'go' before I noticed aircraft X was not going to comply and was just going to land on the inactive Runway 1L. I quickly issued a go around to aircraft Y; who did comply with the instruction. As aircraft X was rolling out; I asked how he heard my radio. He responded with 'loud and clear' and then proceeded to say 'I really messed up there; I'm sorry.'There wasn't any time to get control of runway 1L; even though I did attempt to get control of the runway; but Ground Control could not give me the runway because of the vehicles approved on the runway. I would recommend keeping a better eye on traffic that may be unfamiliar with our airport; even when they may seem like a frequent flyer. Because there is always training going on. I thought I did a good job asking if aircraft X was going northwest bound to be on final for the 32s; but I could clarify better on that. I also could have paid slightly more attention to the inactive runway with vehicles on it. The go around could have been issued earlier when I did not have him in sight; but expected him to be about a 1/2 mile. I should have known he wasn't lined up for 32R.
I landed on the wrong runway. I had taken off from Buchanan field Runway 32L. This was not the usual runway used at Buchanan. Runway 19R/1L is the runway used most of the time. The flight was quite ordinary and the return to the field was without event. I was on flight following which was discontinued as I approached Buchanan. I contacted Buchanan Tower; told them I was negative ATIS. They gave me the ATIS info and told me to make right traffic for 32R and to enter on the 45. I understood these instructions and proceeded to comply.As I entered the downwind; I was informed that I would be number 3 to land and asked if I saw the traffic. I saw one plane; making final quite low and in my mind calculated my position and turn towards that aircraft as the final leg. I did note that the plane seemed very low when making its base to final since I was at about 1;500 ft. It did not make sense visually; but I was more concerned in flying my aircraft to analyze it in more detail at that moment.As I came towards the end of what would be the downwind; I started to question whether I was understanding the layout of the runways. Buchanan has 4 runways in a set of two that are 30 degrees different from each other. It is a very confusing airport. As I made base; I had the visual of where that other plane was; and in my mind I was flying to emulate that pattern. But something did not seem right. Somewhere at that time; as I was about to turn final; I contacted the Tower and I asked them if I was on the right path towards my runway. By this time I had finished my turn to final; or close to that; but I did not get a response. I actually never heard a response.Then in a few more moments I saw that I was on final to the wrong runway; Runway 1L which is a similar length and width runway to 32R where I should have been. But at this time I was about to land; and then landed on Runway 1L. I believe I told the Tower what I did; that is landed on the wrong runway; but I didn't hear anything from them until I asked to turn at taxiway J; which they told me to do and to contact ground. I contacted ground; got clearance to taxi away; and they told me to contact them for a phone number to talk to them. After I shut down; I talked to Ground and explained what had happened.I was quite rattled by this whole incident. I could not understand what had just happened and why I had ended up on the wrong runway. Later in the day went through it with some charts; and maps and airport diagrams. What I believed happened was this. First; I am new to Buchanan.[Over the last few months]; I continued to fly with my instructor doing landings and flight instruction since I was getting my complex endorsement. All the takeoffs and landings were on Runway 1L/19R. I had a clear understanding of landmarks for this runway; the pond on the north and the hills on the south. After I got my endorsement; I sent the plane in for maintenance and some cosmetic work. The weather in those few months since has been very poor; and I did not or could not fly the plane during that time either because of maintenance or weather.That day I did fly; on returning from my flight to the north; I was flying south with the pond as my visual. As I entered the downwind the Tower told me I was number 3 and that one plane was near the numbers for the runway. I saw that plane and in my mind was positioning myself for the runway. In hindsight; where that plane was; was where I was aiming for. It still doesn't make sense to me today because it seemed to me that that plane was landing too far west and if I look at an airport diagram that would mean it was landing on 1L. But on what he landed is hindsight. At the time; I put in my mind that I was to follow him and thus aimed for that as being my final.In hindsight; I do not remember seeing the second big long runway; the one that is Runway 32R. Perhaps I was flying too close to the airport on the downwind. I remember seeing the greenbeltto the east of the airport as my downwind leg; but I see from some aerials that this may have been too close in to Runway 32R and I may have not seen Runway 32R under my right wing. But I did see the aircraft turning final off to the west; so it didn't occur to me that I was on the wrong trajectory for landing.And yet it did not feel right. At some point on the base to final; I contacted the Tower because I was afraid I was not on the right pathway. At that time; paying attention to flying was critical. I did not get a response from the Tower. I really needed to know if I was flying to the correct runway; but I also needed to make sure I flew the plane and did not have a flying mishap so close to the ground. If I had heard from the Tower that I was on the wrong trajectory; I would have expected them to tell me so; and to have me go around. On turning to final; and starting final; I still had plenty of time to put on full power and go around. But I got no such response.I was now flying final; working on getting my plane to attain the correct landing configuration and speed; making sure that my gear was down; mixture full; prop full forward. With all that checked; I was about 100-200 feet off the ground and then I saw the markings on the runway and realized I had flown to the wrong runway. At that point I felt that I had to commit to landing because I did not think I could execute a go-around. As it turned out; it was good that I did. As the plane came to a stop; I noticed that a plane on what was 32R had taken off and had crossed the intersection at about 100 feet above the ground. I had stopped maybe 1;000 feet before the intersection so I was no factor; but I wondered why the Tower had let that plane takeoff if they knew I was landing on the wrong runway. There was no guarantee that I would stop short of the intersection; that I would execute a go-around or that the other plane would fly above me if I were at the intersection.I believe the Tower advising me that I was not heading in the right direction could have corrected this error on my part easily. I believe the Tower should have responded to my request for help. But they did not. Now it's possible they did; but I did not hear it; and they also did not hold the other plane in position knowing that I was going to land on the wrong runway. Basically; they allowed the aircraft to be on the runways at the same time allowing them to maneuver in the same airspace and ground space.So in the end; everyone is safe; which is the most important; but even though I landed on the wrong runway; it could have been avoided if the Tower would have responded to my request for help at a very critical time. Hearing my request for help; and seeing that I was on the wrong runway; they should have held the other aircraft on 32R to avoid any issues with me. With their response; I would have done a go-around; evaluated the runways clearly and set up and landed on the correct runway.
Tower Local Controller reported not observing that an aircraft was landing on the wrong runway until it was over the landing threshold. The Controller issued go-around instructions which the pilot did not comply with.