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CFI flying an small aircraft into emt with the help of ont approach calls airport in sight and is released by approach. When reporter realizes that he cannot see airport he is not able to reacquire contact with ont approach and is worried about the TCA because he is disoriented.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 136250 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pom airport : emt |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ont |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : instructor oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 136250 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Contacted ont arsa 15 mi directly south of pomona VOR in order to penetrate then arsa to fly direct to pomona VOR, then direct el monte airport. Transponder code given and entered into transponder. 'Radar contact south of pomona VOR, suggest maintain at or above 4500.' 3 mins later, 'turn left heading 270 for vectors to el monte, maintain above 3500.' I stayed at 4500' for better chance of spotting el monte (dusk, hazy) and any other landmark to identify present position. ATC: 'el monte 6 mi, 12 O'clock--do you see airport?' my response was yes, as I saw what sure looked like el monte airport. ATC: 'radar service terminated, squawk 1200.' in a minute or two what I thought was el monte was not. Not knowing exactly where I was (other than about 5MI southeast of el monte airport), I went back to ont approach (on same frequency). ATC: 'stand by, you are #2,' so I headed directly north and descended to 3500' to get below the TCA, just in case I was in it or would be entering it. 2 mins later el monte airport was seen and we landed. (The rotating beacon at el monte was never visible--I should have asked tower if it was operating.) reflections: 1) I would have been ok if I had stuck to my game plan (direct pomona VOR, direct el monte airport) and didn't take radar vectors. 2) controller could have been more helpful if suggested altitudes were given rather than 'stay above 4500 or above 3500.' 3) the rotary beacon could be brighter or more visible. 4) ATC could say 'descend to 3500' to remain clear of the TCA.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CFI FLYING AN SMA INTO EMT WITH THE HELP OF ONT APCH CALLS ARPT IN SIGHT AND IS RELEASED BY APCH. WHEN REPORTER REALIZES THAT HE CANNOT SEE ARPT HE IS NOT ABLE TO REACQUIRE CONTACT WITH ONT APCH AND IS WORRIED ABOUT THE TCA BECAUSE HE IS DISORIENTED.
Narrative: CONTACTED ONT ARSA 15 MI DIRECTLY S OF POMONA VOR IN ORDER TO PENETRATE THEN ARSA TO FLY DIRECT TO POMONA VOR, THEN DIRECT EL MONTE ARPT. XPONDER CODE GIVEN AND ENTERED INTO XPONDER. 'RADAR CONTACT S OF POMONA VOR, SUGGEST MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 4500.' 3 MINS LATER, 'TURN LEFT HDG 270 FOR VECTORS TO EL MONTE, MAINTAIN ABOVE 3500.' I STAYED AT 4500' FOR BETTER CHANCE OF SPOTTING EL MONTE (DUSK, HAZY) AND ANY OTHER LANDMARK TO IDENT PRESENT POS. ATC: 'EL MONTE 6 MI, 12 O'CLOCK--DO YOU SEE ARPT?' MY RESPONSE WAS YES, AS I SAW WHAT SURE LOOKED LIKE EL MONTE ARPT. ATC: 'RADAR SVC TERMINATED, SQUAWK 1200.' IN A MINUTE OR TWO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS EL MONTE WAS NOT. NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE I WAS (OTHER THAN ABOUT 5MI SE OF EL MONTE ARPT), I WENT BACK TO ONT APCH (ON SAME FREQ). ATC: 'STAND BY, YOU ARE #2,' SO I HEADED DIRECTLY N AND DSNDED TO 3500' TO GET BELOW THE TCA, JUST IN CASE I WAS IN IT OR WOULD BE ENTERING IT. 2 MINS LATER EL MONTE ARPT WAS SEEN AND WE LANDED. (THE ROTATING BEACON AT EL MONTE WAS NEVER VISIBLE--I SHOULD HAVE ASKED TWR IF IT WAS OPERATING.) REFLECTIONS: 1) I WOULD HAVE BEEN OK IF I HAD STUCK TO MY GAME PLAN (DIRECT POMONA VOR, DIRECT EL MONTE ARPT) AND DIDN'T TAKE RADAR VECTORS. 2) CTLR COULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL IF SUGGESTED ALTS WERE GIVEN RATHER THAN 'STAY ABOVE 4500 OR ABOVE 3500.' 3) THE ROTARY BEACON COULD BE BRIGHTER OR MORE VISIBLE. 4) ATC COULD SAY 'DSND TO 3500' TO REMAIN CLR OF THE TCA.'
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.