Small Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 1.5
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Airport; Human Factors
I had Aircraft X in left closed traffic on 10L and cleared him for the option on Runway 10L ahead of Aircraft Y inbound from the south - IFR - on a visual approach for 10R. In his final turn; Aircraft Y verified that Aircraft X was going to land Runway 10L. I confirmed it and watched both aircraft progress on final. It appeared Aircraft X was lined up for Runway 10L. Short final; Aircraft Y said Aircraft X was right on top of him and lined up for 10R and he was going around. I sent Aircraft X around as well to try and make room for Aircraft Y; but to avoid Aircraft X he had to turn away from the field very low and close to an apartment complex near the field. I kept everyone else out of Aircraft Y's way so he could 360 back to final and land. In his next lap around the pattern; when Aircraft X was on final and cleared for the option on Runway 10L again; I verified that he was lined up for Runway 10L. Again; it appeared that he already was; but having just had the above incident 3 minutes prior I thought it couldn't hurt to ask. The pilot told me that he had; again; lined up for 10R and was correcting back to 10 L. For the hundredth time; we cannot see which runway our aircraft intend to land from the Tower. How am I supposed to ensure separation when I have little to no ability to verify this? We need a new Tower built closer to the runways. Every other mitigation that dozens of people have thought of have been tried; and they've all failed. This is beyond ridiculous.
FCM Tower Controller reported one aircraft lined up for the wrong runway twice causing one airborne conflict. Controller also stated the controllers cannot determine which runway aircraft are lined up for due to Tower placement.