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Pilot of small transport atx cleared for approach felt the approach procedure should specify some step down altitude less than his 8000' cruise altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 112066 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198905 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fot |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ith |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v27 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1625 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 112066 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
At approximately 20 NM southeast of fortuna VOR on V27 at 8000' MSL, atx was cleared for the VOR DME 2 approach to arcata. The pilot reviewed his approach chart again looking for a lower altitude step-down intersection. The approach clearance did not say or state any altitudes to be maintained. The VOR DME 2 approach chart did not indicated that an altitude change was possible until after fortuna VOR. ZSE questioned atx pilot as to whether or not he knew that he was cleared for the approach and a minute later asked for flight's altitude. Approach charts do not always contain all of the necessary information for an approach. In this case, the MEA on V27 changes at 10 NM southeast of fortuna VOR at olrio intersection from 6700 to 4000'. A low altitude in this case was possible and should have been maintained.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMT ATX CLEARED FOR APCH FELT THE APCH PROC SHOULD SPECIFY SOME STEP DOWN ALT LESS THAN HIS 8000' CRUISE ALT.
Narrative: AT APPROX 20 NM SE OF FORTUNA VOR ON V27 AT 8000' MSL, ATX WAS CLRED FOR THE VOR DME 2 APCH TO ARCATA. THE PLT REVIEWED HIS APCH CHART AGAIN LOOKING FOR A LOWER ALT STEP-DOWN INTXN. THE APCH CLRNC DID NOT SAY OR STATE ANY ALTS TO BE MAINTAINED. THE VOR DME 2 APCH CHART DID NOT INDICATED THAT AN ALT CHANGE WAS POSSIBLE UNTIL AFTER FORTUNA VOR. ZSE QUESTIONED ATX PLT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE KNEW THAT HE WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND A MINUTE LATER ASKED FOR FLT'S ALT. APCH CHARTS DO NOT ALWAYS CONTAIN ALL OF THE NECESSARY INFO FOR AN APCH. IN THIS CASE, THE MEA ON V27 CHANGES AT 10 NM SE OF FORTUNA VOR AT OLRIO INTXN FROM 6700 TO 4000'. A LOW ALT IN THIS CASE WAS POSSIBLE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED.
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.