PIC of air carrier medium large transport complaint about being given a visual approach without it b...

Attributes
ACN	131430
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord tower : pou
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	131430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

They were running parallel visibility approachs to 27L and right at ord. We were being vectored for 27R. The controller reported our parallel traffic at 1 O'clock and 5 mi, an medium large transport. We saw him, but acknowledged 'looking' because we could not see anything that would allow us to accept a visibility and were afraid the controller would force us into one. A minute later, the controller gave us a heading of 270 degrees. From landmarks, the localizer, the VOR, we knew we were north of course. I queried the controller. He said if we couldn't see the traffic or the airport, he would have to take us out of the pattern. We could not see the runway (thought I was fairly sure I knew where the field was, because of local landmarks), and the medium large transport was barely visible in the haze. We told the controller we had 'both in sight' and took the approach. I'm sick and tired of being forced into visibility approachs under marginal conditions. On an IFR flight plan I want an ILS unless I request differently. A 2-M cockpit with an inoperative autoplt is not conducive to a high density airport visibility approach in marginal conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF ACR MLG COMPLAINT ABOUT BEING GIVEN A VISUAL APCH WITHOUT IT BEING REQUESTED.

Narrative: THEY WERE RUNNING PARALLEL VIS APCHS TO 27L AND R AT ORD. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR 27R. THE CTLR RPTED OUR PARALLEL TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 5 MI, AN MLG. WE SAW HIM, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED 'LOOKING' BECAUSE WE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ACCEPT A VIS AND WERE AFRAID THE CTLR WOULD FORCE US INTO ONE. A MINUTE LATER, THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG OF 270 DEGS. FROM LANDMARKS, THE LOC, THE VOR, WE KNEW WE WERE N OF COURSE. I QUERIED THE CTLR. HE SAID IF WE COULDN'T SEE THE TFC OR THE ARPT, HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE US OUT OF THE PATTERN. WE COULD NOT SEE THE RWY (THOUGHT I WAS FAIRLY SURE I KNEW WHERE THE FIELD WAS, BECAUSE OF LCL LANDMARKS), AND THE MLG WAS BARELY VISIBLE IN THE HAZE. WE TOLD THE CTLR WE HAD 'BOTH IN SIGHT' AND TOOK THE APCH. I'M SICK AND TIRED OF BEING FORCED INTO VIS APCHS UNDER MARGINAL CONDITIONS. ON AN IFR FLT PLAN I WANT AN ILS UNLESS I REQUEST DIFFERENTLY. A 2-M COCKPIT WITH AN INOP AUTOPLT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO A HIGH DENSITY ARPT VIS APCH IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS.

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.

PIC of air carrier medium large transport complaint about being given a visual approach without it being requested.