Air carrier medium large transport executes two non-standard ILS approaches into tri.

Attributes
ACN	100946
Time
Date	198812
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tri
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tri tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	100946
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control other other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying pilot descended to 500' AGL while not on localizer G/south. Suspect spatial disorientation. Missed approach and landed on next try occurred west/O incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Ascertained that the PIC was flying and this was the second approach that was missed. On the first approach the PF was hand flying and never did get down to the G/south so they executed missed approach. At PNF suggestion next approach was started with the a/P on and just as localizer intercept started aircraft went well below G/south which they had intercepted before the localizer intercept. This was first time PNF had flown with this PIC and was not certain what problem was except he was way behind the aircraft. This was non radar environment so nothing was heard from ATC or FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG EXECUTES TWO NON-STANDARD ILS APPROACHES INTO TRI.

Narrative: FLYING PLT DSNDED TO 500' AGL WHILE NOT ON LOC G/S. SUSPECT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. MISSED APCH AND LANDED ON NEXT TRY OCCURRED W/O INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. ASCERTAINED THAT THE PIC WAS FLYING AND THIS WAS THE SECOND APCH THAT WAS MISSED. ON THE FIRST APCH THE PF WAS HAND FLYING AND NEVER DID GET DOWN TO THE G/S SO THEY EXECUTED MISSED APCH. AT PNF SUGGESTION NEXT APCH WAS STARTED WITH THE A/P ON AND JUST AS LOC INTERCEPT STARTED ACFT WENT WELL BELOW G/S WHICH THEY HAD INTERCEPTED BEFORE THE LOC INTERCEPT. THIS WAS FIRST TIME PNF HAD FLOWN WITH THIS PIC AND WAS NOT CERTAIN WHAT PROB WAS EXCEPT HE WAS WAY BEHIND THE ACFT. THIS WAS NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT SO NOTHING WAS HEARD FROM ATC OR FAA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.