Narrative:

On approach into dca and within about 10 mi of the field, we were prepared for the ILS 36 approach as stated on the current ATIS. We were given a vector which did not compute as a downwind for runway 36 and soon after heard approach control tell another aircraft to expect runway 18 for landing. This now computes to having us on a downwind for runway 18. We took out our runway 18 lda charts and looked them over (as a crew we had just accomplished this approach the previous week). At approximately 8000' on base leg, approach control cleared the aircraft ahead for the roslyn lda runway 18 approach. We found this approach chart about the time we were turned to an intercept heading for the final and were cleared for approach. We followed the G/south down and noted the statement that the G/south was unusable below 1100'. About about 3 DME we transitioned to fly over the river to avoid flying over the bldgs and to maneuver toward the 18 lineup. After landing we commented that the approach seemed odd on its transition over the USA today bldg, unlike the lda runway 18. After further review of the approach chart we noted the small transition arrows on the grey background of the river (very difficult to see), and the note 'fly visibility to airport' on the profile view--but no such note relating to the arrows on the plan view. This helped cause us to turn approximately 1/2 mi later than suggested. Recommendations: approach control should provide earlier warning of runway changes and current approach in use; and roslyn lda 18 approach chart could be improved with a written statement in the plan view about following the river visually at 3.5 DME.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO FLYING AN LGT ACFT ON LDA 18 APCH MISSED THE TURN STIPULATED AT 3 PT 5 MILES FROM RWY WHICH NOTES 'FLY VISUAL TO ARPT,' RESULTING IN A LATE TURN TO THE END OF RWY.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO DCA AND WITHIN ABOUT 10 MI OF THE FIELD, WE WERE PREPARED FOR THE ILS 36 APCH AS STATED ON THE CURRENT ATIS. WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR WHICH DID NOT COMPUTE AS A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36 AND SOON AFTER HEARD APCH CTL TELL ANOTHER ACFT TO EXPECT RWY 18 FOR LNDG. THIS NOW COMPUTES TO HAVING US ON A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18. WE TOOK OUT OUR RWY 18 LDA CHARTS AND LOOKED THEM OVER (AS A CREW WE HAD JUST ACCOMPLISHED THIS APCH THE PREVIOUS WK). AT APPROX 8000' ON BASE LEG, APCH CTL CLRED THE ACFT AHEAD FOR THE ROSLYN LDA RWY 18 APCH. WE FOUND THIS APCH CHART ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE TURNED TO AN INTERCEPT HDG FOR THE FINAL AND WERE CLRED FOR APCH. WE FOLLOWED THE G/S DOWN AND NOTED THE STATEMENT THAT THE G/S WAS UNUSABLE BELOW 1100'. ABOUT ABOUT 3 DME WE TRANSITIONED TO FLY OVER THE RIVER TO AVOID FLYING OVER THE BLDGS AND TO MANEUVER TOWARD THE 18 LINEUP. AFTER LNDG WE COMMENTED THAT THE APCH SEEMED ODD ON ITS TRANSITION OVER THE USA TODAY BLDG, UNLIKE THE LDA RWY 18. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW OF THE APCH CHART WE NOTED THE SMALL TRANSITION ARROWS ON THE GREY BACKGROUND OF THE RIVER (VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE), AND THE NOTE 'FLY VIS TO ARPT' ON THE PROFILE VIEW--BUT NO SUCH NOTE RELATING TO THE ARROWS ON THE PLAN VIEW. THIS HELPED CAUSE US TO TURN APPROX 1/2 MI LATER THAN SUGGESTED. RECOMMENDATIONS: APCH CTL SHOULD PROVIDE EARLIER WARNING OF RWY CHANGES AND CURRENT APCH IN USE; AND ROSLYN LDA 18 APCH CHART COULD BE IMPROVED WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT IN THE PLAN VIEW ABOUT FOLLOWING THE RIVER VISUALLY AT 3.5 DME.

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.