airtraffic

Author Topic: Marchetti pilot ignores ATC and causes traffic alert with landing SkyWest jet  (Read 4168 times)

Offline AviateSLO

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I heard this one today (December 20, 2020) at San Luis Obispo Regional airport starting at 2118Z

A SkyWest regional jet (SKW3417) was inbound from the north on a left downwind to land on runway 29.  A Marchetti (N58YF) was cleared to takeoff on runway 29 and requested an early turnout.  While on the downwind, the Marchetti was cautioned to stay clear of the landing SkyWest jet in left traffic. The Marchetti pilot then offered to make a 90 degree left turn to cross north of the runway centerline and avoid a conflict with the landing jet, and the tower controller instructed the Marchetti to do so.  However, the Marchetti only turned about 40 degrees left instead of 90, never crossed to the north side of the centerline and then turned back on course that would take him even further south of the centerline without informing the tower.  The tower controller noticed this worsening traffic conflict and ordered the Marchetti to turn north immediately to avoid a potential collision with the regional jet.  The Marchetti pilot ignored this instruction and continued on his downwind course, eventually responding to the tower that he had the traffic in sight and felt there was no conflict.   

What struck me most on the recording was the arrogant tone of the Marchetti pilot after neither responding nor executing the order from the tower to turn north immediately.  His tone suggested he felt that because he had determined on his own that there was no conflict, it was fine for him to ignore ATC instructions. When the tower informed him he was actually still south of the centerline, the Marchetti pilot did not apologize and simply responded with a dismissive "Oookay!"

Here is a transcript of the conversation.  KSBP Tower audio (with silence trimmed) also attached.

Quote
SKW3417: Tower, SKW3417, we're a left downwind for runway 29
KSBP Tower: SKW3417, San Luis Tower, make left traffic for runway 29
SKW3417: Left traffic for runway 29, SKW3417

KSBP Tower: Marchetti 58YF, San Luis Tower, Runway 29 cleared for takeoff 
N58YF: Cleared for takeoff 8YF
N58YF: 8YF can I get an early turn?
KSBP Tower: Marchetti 8YF, early turnout approved
N58YF: Thank you, sir

KSBP Tower: Marchetti 8YF, traffic 3 o'clock, 4 miles, eastbound, 3,000 is an Embraer jet, inbound for runway 29, I need you clear of that traffic
N58YF: Got em in sight
N58YF: If you want me to cross the centerline, sir, I can jump on the other side and get out of this way. (Blocked by traffic transmitting on ground.)
KSBP Tower:  Aircraft calling for taxi, standby. Aircraft in the air, say again.
N58YF:  Yeah, 8YF, want me to jump the centerline and get out of his way?
N58YF:  Give me a left 90 degree turn,  I'll be out of his way.
KSBP Tower: 98YF, roger, left 90 degree turn is approved.
N58YF: Thank you sir
KSBP Tower: SKW3417, traffic 9 o'clock, 3 miles, turning north east bound is a marchetti,1400, no factor
SKW3417: Roger, SKW3417
KSBP Tower: SKW3417, runway 29 cleared to land
SKW3417: 29 cleared to land, SKW3417

KSBP Tower: Marchetti 8YF, what are you doing?
KSBP Tower: Marchetti 8YF, traffic alert, 2 o'clock, 2 miles, northbound, Embraer jet, 3000 feet, turn northbound immediately
KSBP Tower: SKW3417, traffic alert, 10-11 o'clock, moving to your 12 o'clock, Marchetti climbing out of 2,000 feet
SKW3417: Yeah we're looking, SKW3417
KSBP Tower: He's not doing what I told him to do.
KSBP Tower: Marchetti 8YF, San Luis Tower
N58YF (arrogantly): Yeah, I got him in sight, he's not a factor.
KSBP Tower: How is he not a factor? He's turning inbound to San Luis Obispo, he's descending out of 2700, that's a factor!
N58YF: Well sir, I crossed the centerline like you told me, 90 degree turn and he's now turning inside me.
KSBP Tower: I show you 1 mile south of the centerline
K58YF: Ooookay!

KSBP Tower: Marchetti 8YF, squawk VFR, frequency change approved.
N58YF: See ya!

KSBP Tower:SKW3417 sorry about that.  Runway 29, cleared to land.
SKW3417: 29 cleared to land, 3417

The ADSB track of the SkyWest and Marchetti aircraft (attached) show that
1. The Marchetti did not turn 90 degrees left.  It was more like 45 degrees.
2. He turned back to his original heading without informing ATC and also before crossing the runway centerline.
3. Even if he had crossed the centerline, the heading he turned back to would have taken him south across the approach path and in conflict with landing traffic
4. He never executed the tower's urgent instruction to turn northbound immediately.
5. The only reason SKY3417 ended up turning inside him was because SKW3417 had to cut the corner of his base turn to avoid the traffic conflict. If SKW3417 did a square base to final turn, he would have crossed directly over and outside of N58YF's track.




Offline gtheall

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How was that guy not given a phone number to call???