Air carrier medium large transport turned late on lda approach to dca runway 18.

Attributes
ACN	120929
Time
Date	198908
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1160
ASRS Report	120929
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying the roslyn lda/DME runway 18 approach at dca. The approach calls for a left turn at 3.5 DME to join the river to continue the approach to the airport. At the 3.5 fix I started the turn when the captain said 'we just flew over that building'. I couldn't see the building he was talking about. The approach continued and a normal landing was made. One contributing factor was that the ATIS was calling for the 'river visual runway 18' approach when in fact ATC was assigning the 'roslyn lda/DME approach'. I had briefed both apches because the aircraft in front of us had been cleared for the 'roslyn lda/DME' approach. My only recommendation is that the fix to start the turn to join the river be moved back from 3.5 to 4.0 DME. This is much easier to read, especially with the old style drum type DME that we have. Also as a note we were well above the building (at least a 1000'). The aircraft, its passenger or the occupants of the building were never in any danger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TURNED LATE ON LDA APCH TO DCA RWY 18.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ROSLYN LDA/DME RWY 18 APCH AT DCA. THE APCH CALLS FOR A LEFT TURN AT 3.5 DME TO JOIN THE RIVER TO CONTINUE THE APCH TO THE ARPT. AT THE 3.5 FIX I STARTED THE TURN WHEN THE CAPT SAID 'WE JUST FLEW OVER THAT BUILDING'. I COULDN'T SEE THE BUILDING HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. THE APCH CONTINUED AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. ONE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT THE ATIS WAS CALLING FOR THE 'RIVER VISUAL RWY 18' APCH WHEN IN FACT ATC WAS ASSIGNING THE 'ROSLYN LDA/DME APCH'. I HAD BRIEFED BOTH APCHES BECAUSE THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE 'ROSLYN LDA/DME' APCH. MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE FIX TO START THE TURN TO JOIN THE RIVER BE MOVED BACK FROM 3.5 TO 4.0 DME. THIS IS MUCH EASIER TO READ, ESPECIALLY WITH THE OLD STYLE DRUM TYPE DME THAT WE HAVE. ALSO AS A NOTE WE WERE WELL ABOVE THE BUILDING (AT LEAST A 1000'). THE ACFT, ITS PAX OR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING WERE NEVER IN ANY DANGER.

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.