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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Government light transport descended below MDA. Flight crew had failed to change minimums when approach lights were reported inoperative.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 135045 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199001 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lyh |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 250 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : lyh |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3750 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 135045 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was captain on a flight to take our boss to lyh. The reported WX before leaving was 2 overcast, 1 1/4 r-f RVR 6000+. We requested the ILS approach to lyh from center and were being vectored to the final approach course. We were at the initial approach altitude and could see the ground and the 200 broken layer. The latest ATIS reported the approach lights OTS, but we did not think this would be a factor because of the latest WX we got (2 broken, 8 overcast). As a matter of procedure, we set the DH in the radar altimeter, which was 200' (norm, RVR minimum 2400'). Continuing the approach we were in the clouds again and continued to be until minimums or very close to them! The copilot made callouts of 100' increments from 500' AGL to DH. The ceiling was ragged,but at DH we had the runway environment in sight and continued the landing. As a matter of courtesy to the next aircraft, the copilot reported to the tower that the WX was minimums. Later on that day it dawned on both of us that the fact of the approach lights being OTS meant we were to raise the approach minima from what was published on the chart. At 200' AGL the runway environment was barely visible and one could maybe argue that had we applied the increased minima to the DH, we may not have seen th runway.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GOV LTT DESCENDED BELOW MDA. FLT CREW HAD FAILED TO CHANGE MINIMUMS WHEN APCH LIGHTS WERE REPORTED INOPERATIVE.
Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON A FLT TO TAKE OUR BOSS TO LYH. THE RPTED WX BEFORE LEAVING WAS 2 OVCST, 1 1/4 R-F RVR 6000+. WE REQUESTED THE ILS APCH TO LYH FROM CENTER AND WERE BEING VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. WE WERE AT THE INITIAL APCH ALT AND COULD SEE THE GND AND THE 200 BROKEN LAYER. THE LATEST ATIS RPTED THE APCH LIGHTS OTS, BUT WE DID NOT THINK THIS WOULD BE A FACTOR BECAUSE OF THE LATEST WX WE GOT (2 BROKEN, 8 OVCST). AS A MATTER OF PROC, WE SET THE DH IN THE RADAR ALTIMETER, WHICH WAS 200' (NORM, RVR MINIMUM 2400'). CONTINUING THE APCH WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS AGAIN AND CONTINUED TO BE UNTIL MINIMUMS OR VERY CLOSE TO THEM! THE COPLT MADE CALLOUTS OF 100' INCREMENTS FROM 500' AGL TO DH. THE CEILING WAS RAGGED,BUT AT DH WE HAD THE RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT AND CONTINUED THE LNDG. AS A MATTER OF COURTESY TO THE NEXT ACFT, THE COPLT RPTED TO THE TWR THAT THE WX WAS MINIMUMS. LATER ON THAT DAY IT DAWNED ON BOTH OF US THAT THE FACT OF THE APCH LIGHTS BEING OTS MEANT WE WERE TO RAISE THE APCH MINIMA FROM WHAT WAS PUBLISHED ON THE CHART. AT 200' AGL THE RWY ENVIRONMENT WAS BARELY VISIBLE AND ONE COULD MAYBE ARGUE THAT HAD WE APPLIED THE INCREASED MINIMA TO THE DH, WE MAY NOT HAVE SEEN TH RWY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.