CFI and student practicing an NDB approach at lnc drift left of course and circle right to land, in ...

Narrative:

While conducting a far 141 final instrument progress check, a student and I were flying a practice NDB runway 31 approach to lnc. As we proceeded outbnd, I failed the student's ADI and D6 to see how well he could fly the approach using only the magnetic compass. As with most students, he was having some difficulty, but he was adapting and certainly making progress. The wind, however, was forcing the aircraft southwest of course. After turning inbound towards the NDB (located on the west side of the field) the aircraft was left of course. As the student set up an intercept angle, I made a position report. I could see an small aircraft in a left-hand traffic pattern for runway 13, but his position reports were weak and almost totally unreadable. As we continued inbound on the approach, the student was again left of course and having trouble correcting for the wind. As we intercepted the course, the student began his let-down to circling minimums (600' AGL). Approaching the airport, I could see that we had been blown left of course and were entering a right downwind. I advised the area traffic that we were circling west of the field and would turn final from a right base. At the time my understanding of a circling approach allowed the pilot to enter base or downwind (left or right) via the shortest and safest route. But after landing, the operator of the FBO pointed out far 91.89. It seemed very clear. However, I later received both the aim and the instrument flight training handbook, and they seemed vague in regards to meeting the requirements of far 91.89. Perhaps a clarification of this area within the aim or the flight training handbook could be made, or as a final option, print circling procedures in the note section of the approach plate. I don't believe that at any time the safety of the traffic area was compromised even though we made right traffic to an airport with a left-hand traffic pattern. Additionally, I have talked to several other instructors, as well as other pilots, and they seemed to share my original belief. Were we all wrong?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI AND STUDENT PRACTICING AN NDB APCH AT LNC DRIFT LEFT OF COURSE AND CIRCLE RIGHT TO LAND, IN OPPOSITION TO FEDERAL AVIATION REG 91 PT 89 WHICH DICTATES THAT, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ALL TURNS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS OF UNCONTROLLED ARPTS ARE TO BE MADE TO THE LEFT.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING A FAR 141 FINAL INSTRUMENT PROGRESS CHECK, A STUDENT AND I WERE FLYING A PRACTICE NDB RWY 31 APCH TO LNC. AS WE PROCEEDED OUTBND, I FAILED THE STUDENT'S ADI AND D6 TO SEE HOW WELL HE COULD FLY THE APCH USING ONLY THE MAGNETIC COMPASS. AS WITH MOST STUDENTS, HE WAS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY, BUT HE WAS ADAPTING AND CERTAINLY MAKING PROGRESS. THE WIND, HOWEVER, WAS FORCING THE ACFT SW OF COURSE. AFTER TURNING INBND TOWARDS THE NDB (LOCATED ON THE W SIDE OF THE FIELD) THE ACFT WAS LEFT OF COURSE. AS THE STUDENT SET UP AN INTERCEPT ANGLE, I MADE A POSITION REPORT. I COULD SEE AN SMA IN A LEFT-HAND TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 13, BUT HIS POSITION REPORTS WERE WEAK AND ALMOST TOTALLY UNREADABLE. AS WE CONTINUED INBND ON THE APCH, THE STUDENT WAS AGAIN LEFT OF COURSE AND HAVING TROUBLE CORRECTING FOR THE WIND. AS WE INTERCEPTED THE COURSE, THE STUDENT BEGAN HIS LET-DOWN TO CIRCLING MINIMUMS (600' AGL). APCHING THE ARPT, I COULD SEE THAT WE HAD BEEN BLOWN LEFT OF COURSE AND WERE ENTERING A RIGHT DOWNWIND. I ADVISED THE AREA TFC THAT WE WERE CIRCLING W OF THE FIELD AND WOULD TURN FINAL FROM A RIGHT BASE. AT THE TIME MY UNDERSTANDING OF A CIRCLING APCH ALLOWED THE PLT TO ENTER BASE OR DOWNWIND (LEFT OR RIGHT) VIA THE SHORTEST AND SAFEST ROUTE. BUT AFTER LNDG, THE OPERATOR OF THE FBO POINTED OUT FAR 91.89. IT SEEMED VERY CLEAR. HOWEVER, I LATER RECEIVED BOTH THE AIM AND THE INSTRUMENT FLT TRAINING HANDBOOK, AND THEY SEEMED VAGUE IN REGARDS TO MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF FAR 91.89. PERHAPS A CLARIFICATION OF THIS AREA WITHIN THE AIM OR THE FLT TRAINING HANDBOOK COULD BE MADE, OR AS A FINAL OPTION, PRINT CIRCLING PROCS IN THE NOTE SECTION OF THE APCH PLATE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT AT ANY TIME THE SAFETY OF THE TFC AREA WAS COMPROMISED EVEN THOUGH WE MADE RIGHT TFC TO AN ARPT WITH A LEFT-HAND TFC PATTERN. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER INSTRUCTORS, AS WELL AS OTHER PLTS, AND THEY SEEMED TO SHARE MY ORIGINAL BELIEF. WERE WE ALL WRONG?

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.

Attributes
ACN	136993
Time
Date	199002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lnc
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1540 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	136993
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

CFI and student practicing an NDB approach at lnc drift left of course and circle right to land, in opposition to federal aviation regulation 91 pt 89 which dictates that, unless otherwise specified, all turns in the traffic patterns of uncontrolled airports are to be made to the left.