Narrative:

On an IFR training flight, with student under hood, ATC gave us some instructions of dubious safety. At or near alpine locator outer marker, approach told us 'after low approach, turn right heading 360 degree, climb, maintain 3500'. The instructions were read back toa tc. At decision height (well below the clouds and with good visibility) my student executed his 'after low approach' instructions. I saw that some hills north of the airport were fairly close to us, and only then started to question the instructions in my own mind. We never came closer than 500' AGL on the 'miss', but in an aircraft with a lower climb gradient, and in poorer WX, the instructions could have led to disaster. Notably, the IFR departure procedure at elm runway 24 calls for a climb, direct elm VORTAC to 2000' before turning on course. The resulting heading would be approximately 248 degree, well away from the 1600+/- hills and towers due north of the airport (the decision height for ILS 24 is 1235!). In the future, I will examine the IFR departure procedure carefully prior to any approach at any airport. If my missed or low approach instructions don't jibe with the IFR departure procedure, I'll question them on the frequency immediately! This extra step could save lives. I also believe that instrument students and instructors should be very clear about what the terms 'after takeoff' and 'after departure' and 'after low approach' mean. Too many IFR-rated pilots I know believe 'after departure' means 'after takeoff'. The IFR departure procedure, if different from standard, must be followed unless a different departure is specifically and correctly authorized by ATC. (Review the aim on these topics!)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR ON GA SMA INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLT OBJECTS TO GO AROUND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY APCH CTLR.

Narrative: ON AN IFR TRAINING FLT, WITH STUDENT UNDER HOOD, ATC GAVE US SOME INSTRUCTIONS OF DUBIOUS SAFETY. AT OR NEAR ALPINE LOCATOR OUTER MARKER, APCH TOLD US 'AFTER LOW APCH, TURN RIGHT HDG 360 DEG, CLIMB, MAINTAIN 3500'. THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE READ BACK TOA TC. AT DECISION HEIGHT (WELL BELOW THE CLOUDS AND WITH GOOD VISIBILITY) MY STUDENT EXECUTED HIS 'AFTER LOW APCH' INSTRUCTIONS. I SAW THAT SOME HILLS NORTH OF THE ARPT WERE FAIRLY CLOSE TO US, AND ONLY THEN STARTED TO QUESTION THE INSTRUCTIONS IN MY OWN MIND. WE NEVER CAME CLOSER THAN 500' AGL ON THE 'MISS', BUT IN AN ACFT WITH A LOWER CLIMB GRADIENT, AND IN POORER WX, THE INSTRUCTIONS COULD HAVE LED TO DISASTER. NOTABLY, THE IFR DEP PROC AT ELM RWY 24 CALLS FOR A CLIMB, DIRECT ELM VORTAC TO 2000' BEFORE TURNING ON COURSE. THE RESULTING HDG WOULD BE APPROX 248 DEG, WELL AWAY FROM THE 1600+/- HILLS AND TWRS DUE NORTH OF THE ARPT (THE DECISION HEIGHT FOR ILS 24 IS 1235!). IN THE FUTURE, I WILL EXAMINE THE IFR DEP PROC CAREFULLY PRIOR TO ANY APCH AT ANY ARPT. IF MY MISSED OR LOW APCH INSTRUCTIONS DON'T JIBE WITH THE IFR DEP PROC, I'LL QUESTION THEM ON THE FREQ IMMEDIATELY! THIS EXTRA STEP COULD SAVE LIVES. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT INSTRUMENT STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS SHOULD BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE TERMS 'AFTER TKOF' AND 'AFTER DEP' AND 'AFTER LOW APCH' MEAN. TOO MANY IFR-RATED PLTS I KNOW BELIEVE 'AFTER DEP' MEANS 'AFTER TKOF'. THE IFR DEP PROC, IF DIFFERENT FROM STANDARD, MUST BE FOLLOWED UNLESS A DIFFERENT DEP IS SPECIFICALLY AND CORRECTLY AUTHORIZED BY ATC. (REVIEW THE AIM ON THESE TOPICS!)

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.