Narrative:

My student and I were flying into greater pittsburgh on the ILS runway 10R approach. ATC cleared us from 8000' down to 5000' in quick intervals. I currently have the common cold, and the relatively quick descent caused my ears to block; I could not hear very well. Also during the approach I experienced a sharp pain in my ears. Instead of concentrating on my student's performance, I diverted my attention to my hurting ears. My student chased the ILS needles and deviated from the published approach (by descending). Instead of taking over the aircraft, I tried to verbally tell him what to do. We were off course and still in the clouds. By the time we were out of the clouds (2900' MSL as I recall) we were slightly off course and we had the runway in sight. Upon landing, ATC instructed me to call them on a local line. ATC informed me that during the approach, my student and I had drifted over another aircraft that was on a simultaneous approach course, and had passed over the other aircraft three to four hundred ft above it. Note: we were still in the clouds at this time. As an instrument instrument, I allowed my student to deviate below the published approach instead of taking over the aircraft with a verbal 'my airplane!' I let my student go too far. I should have taken over immediately following any deviation beyond that which is required by the FAA standards of an instrument student. Also, I made the mistake of assuming my student would perform with the same skill as he had previously demonstrated during instrument approach training. To prevent reoccurrence: never let the student deviate from the published approach, take over the aircraft (my airplane!) before a potential hazard can occur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC

Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I WERE FLYING INTO GREATER PITTSBURGH ON THE ILS RWY 10R APCH. ATC CLRED US FROM 8000' DOWN TO 5000' IN QUICK INTERVALS. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE COMMON COLD, AND THE RELATIVELY QUICK DSNT CAUSED MY EARS TO BLOCK; I COULD NOT HEAR VERY WELL. ALSO DURING THE APCH I EXPERIENCED A SHARP PAIN IN MY EARS. INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATING ON MY STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE, I DIVERTED MY ATTN TO MY HURTING EARS. MY STUDENT CHASED THE ILS NEEDLES AND DEVIATED FROM THE PUBLISHED APCH (BY DSNDING). INSTEAD OF TAKING OVER THE ACFT, I TRIED TO VERBALLY TELL HIM WHAT TO DO. WE WERE OFF COURSE AND STILL IN THE CLOUDS. BY THE TIME WE WERE OUT OF THE CLOUDS (2900' MSL AS I RECALL) WE WERE SLIGHTLY OFF COURSE AND WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. UPON LNDG, ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL THEM ON A LCL LINE. ATC INFORMED ME THAT DURING THE APCH, MY STUDENT AND I HAD DRIFTED OVER ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS ON A SIMULTANEOUS APCH COURSE, AND HAD PASSED OVER THE OTHER ACFT THREE TO FOUR HUNDRED FT ABOVE IT. NOTE: WE WERE STILL IN THE CLOUDS AT THIS TIME. AS AN INSTRUMENT INSTR, I ALLOWED MY STUDENT TO DEVIATE BELOW THE PUBLISHED APCH INSTEAD OF TAKING OVER THE ACFT WITH A VERBAL 'MY AIRPLANE!' I LET MY STUDENT GO TOO FAR. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN OVER IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ANY DEV BEYOND THAT WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE FAA STANDARDS OF AN INSTRUMENT STUDENT. ALSO, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING MY STUDENT WOULD PERFORM WITH THE SAME SKILL AS HE HAD PREVIOUSLY DEMONSTRATED DURING INSTRUMENT APCH TRNING. TO PREVENT REOCCURRENCE: NEVER LET THE STUDENT DEVIATE FROM THE PUBLISHED APCH, TAKE OVER THE ACFT (MY AIRPLANE!) BEFORE A POTENTIAL HAZARD CAN OCCUR.

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.