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PA34 pilot reports losing vertical and lateral guidance during an RNAV approach. The approach is continued using the track line on the mfd only; resulting in a low altitude alert from the tower. In and out of clouds the approach is continued to landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1227053 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201412 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | AUS.Airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-200 Seneca I |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | GPS & Other Satellite Navigation |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6 Flight Crew Total 2600 Flight Crew Type 1200 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT |
Narrative:
On RNAV 17 approach; I was not sure I was getting vertical guidance. Attempted to reactivate approach; but the approach would not reactivate due to being inside the initial approach fix. Lost approach (except on mfd approach charts that also indicated aircraft position on charts) on GPS due to checking programming; but had limited visual of airport and continued. Received low altitude call from TRACON. Corrected altitude; but in doing so lost visual with airport for short time. Continued approach procedure and visual landing. I knew I should not to attempt reactivation of approach; but was distracted. The garmin 530 doesn't adequately indicate that the approach is active and functioning; or is ambiguous. If the GPS more clearly indicated phase of flight and approach functioning; probably wouldn't have happened. I need to re-read manual for GPS.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA34 pilot reports losing vertical and lateral guidance during an RNAV approach. The approach is continued using the track line on the MFD only; resulting in a low altitude alert from the Tower. In and out of clouds the approach is continued to landing.
Narrative: On RNAV 17 approach; I was not sure I was getting vertical guidance. Attempted to reactivate approach; but the approach would not reactivate due to being inside the initial approach fix. Lost approach (except on MFD approach charts that also indicated aircraft position on charts) on GPS due to checking programming; but had limited visual of airport and continued. Received low altitude call from TRACON. Corrected altitude; but in doing so lost visual with airport for short time. Continued approach procedure and visual landing. I knew I should not to attempt reactivation of approach; but was distracted. The Garmin 530 doesn't adequately indicate that the approach is active and functioning; or is ambiguous. If the GPS more clearly indicated phase of flight and approach functioning; probably wouldn't have happened. I need to re-read manual for GPS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.