Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Airport; Procedure
Traffic was light and routine. Winds were strong --gusting to 30 KTS out of the northwest so most of the arrivals were landing Runway 34. I had taken GC/CIC/CD position; several minutes later I observed an Air Carrier taxiing unusually slowly on Taxiway C. Per local SOP; the Air Carrier was still on Local Control frequency. I noted to the Local Controller that the Air Carrier seemed to be awfully slow. Local Control looked though the binoculars and said; 'There's an aircraft on the ramp at the fire station'. I grabbed my binoculars and saw the same thing; a Cessna 152 pulled just off Taxiway Charlie on the Fire Station Ramp. Since neither the Local Controller nor I knew how the Cessna had got to that position I called the Controller whom I had relieved from Ground Control and the FLM; both of whom were in the Tower earlier while I was on break. They had no knowledge of this aircraft. Next I contacted the airport. While I was on the phone with them; a rescue vehicle called me on the Ground Control frequency from the Fire Station. He was talking to the pilot of the Cessna and arranged for that pilot to call the Tower on the phone. I got the pilot's name and tail number and determined that he was enroute to [another airport] when he became lost and low on fuel. He said he was unable to make contact with us on the radio. I am not sure; from the conversation I had with the pilot; if he even knew what airport he was at. Apparently the pilot landed at [our airport]; exited the runway and pulled onto the Fire Station Ramp before he was observed by anyone. I called the FLM on duty; who had not returned to the Tower; and told him what I thought had happened. I called Approach Control; explained what I thought may have happened and asked if they remember seeing or talking to the aircraft. Approach later checked their taped display and confirmed that a primary target maneuvered toward [our airport] from the south and appeared to land Runway 34. Pilot training is still important; especially in emergency communications and procedures and transponder requirements. This situation is; fortunately; becoming rarer due to GPS and cell phones but apparently this pilot had neither. The event could have had a tragic outcome had the Cessna still been on the runway when the next air carrier landed or departed. Scanning; vigilance; use of binoculars on the part of the controller is still important. The approach end of Runway 34 is about a mile and a half from the Control Tower. It is difficult to see [a] C152 at touchdown with the naked eye; even if you are looking for it. It is easy to miss one if you are not looking for it. We have no formal procedure for Approach RADAR facility to inquire about primary targets entering Tower airspace although some radar controllers do so. I'm not sure that is even feasible given our RADAR limitations. We show dozens of false primary targets every day.
Ground Controller noted a slow taxiing aircraft only to discover a Cessna parked on the ramp that could not be identified by anyone in the Tower; it was later determined the Cessna became lost with fuel problems; was unable to contact the Tower; and landed.