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Atx pilot questions legality of his descent to MSA after localizerintercept with clearance for ILS approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 128641 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198911 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tup |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3400 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3150 |
| ASRS Report | 128641 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
As I was coming into tupelo for an ILS approach, I intercepted the ILS final course on the localizer. I was still at 5000'. Upon reporting that I was established, I was cleared for the ILS. Since I was within 25 mi of the OM, I decided to descend down to the MSA, which was 3400'. When I reported to the controller that I was descending, he again said that I was cleared for the ILS. He also questioned me as to whether we were cleared down to MSA upon receipt of the approach clearance. At that time, I really thought it was. As I think back, I may have told the controller I was descending to 2400'. When I got down on the ground, I did some research into this. I found that I was wrong, and the MSA is for emergency use only. No evasive action was required. As I discussed this with other pilots, I found that most of them believed the MSA to be a published minimum altitude. I think unless you are in the a non-radar environment, along with an approach clearance, there should be a crossing restriction. I believe that there ought to be a little more training in this area--in other words, on the meaning of published minimums and the meaning of the MSA.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATX PLT QUESTIONS LEGALITY OF HIS DESCENT TO MSA AFTER LOCALIZERINTERCEPT WITH CLRNC FOR ILS APCH.
Narrative: AS I WAS COMING INTO TUPELO FOR AN ILS APCH, I INTERCEPTED THE ILS FINAL COURSE ON THE LOC. I WAS STILL AT 5000'. UPON RPTING THAT I WAS ESTABLISHED, I WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS. SINCE I WAS WITHIN 25 MI OF THE OM, I DECIDED TO DSND DOWN TO THE MSA, WHICH WAS 3400'. WHEN I RPTED TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS DSNDING, HE AGAIN SAID THAT I WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS. HE ALSO QUESTIONED ME AS TO WHETHER WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO MSA UPON RECEIPT OF THE APCH CLRNC. AT THAT TIME, I REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS. AS I THINK BACK, I MAY HAVE TOLD THE CTLR I WAS DSNDING TO 2400'. WHEN I GOT DOWN ON THE GND, I DID SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS. I FOUND THAT I WAS WRONG, AND THE MSA IS FOR EMER USE ONLY. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED. AS I DISCUSSED THIS WITH OTHER PLTS, I FOUND THAT MOST OF THEM BELIEVED THE MSA TO BE A PUBLISHED MINIMUM ALT. I THINK UNLESS YOU ARE IN THE A NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENT, ALONG WITH AN APCH CLRNC, THERE SHOULD BE A XING RESTRICTION. I BELIEVE THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE A LITTLE MORE TRNING IN THIS AREA--IN OTHER WORDS, ON THE MEANING OF PUBLISHED MINIMUMS AND THE MEANING OF THE MSA.
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.