 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Pilot of small aircraft (CFI flying the aircraft) descending on approach to bfi before establishing his position at nola NDB.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 165669 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199012 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bfi |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 2200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sea |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other landing other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 165669 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While flying IFR approachs at pae, the WX conditions began to go down to minimums (which was not in the forecast--was not supposed to go below 2000' scattered-broken for the day), so we decided to go to bfi, shoot an ILS and land due to WX getting much worse than forecast. I had not planned to fly to bfi during this flight. The spi was having a very difficult time so I was flying the aircraft. I recalled that the nola NDB LOM was unusable under some situations but could not recall which they were as I did not get a briefing for this approach. I decided not to use the NDB rather than risk getting a false indication. The marker lights frequently don't work on this small aircraft (about 1/2 of the time), so I decided to just use the G/a intercept as my final approach fix west/O confirmation from any other NAVAID. We received an approach clearance off of a radar vector. A short time later I began to get a G/south indication and started my descent. The intercept altitude was 2200'. I went down to 1100' and the G/south indication was not good with the flag coming on and off. I called approach and asked if I should be talking to the tower (still IMC). Approach control requested my altitude to which I responded 1100'. They advised that I should climb to 2200', which I did. By that time I had a G/south flag on steady and realized I was not on the G/south (was still outside nola). I made a poor interpretation of the circumstances in this case which could have had a serious result. Several factors: was busy with WX getting much worse--ice and turbulence. Didn't have a briefing for this airport as I was not planning to go there. Decided not to use nola (not sure if this was a good idea or not). Followed a false G/south west/O a really positive indication. Did not ask approach control what portion of the NAVAID was working or usable. Using an aircraft with radio equipment that on a good day does not really work all that great (normal for an small aircraft). Just made a bad decision.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA (CFI FLYING THE ACFT) DESCENDING ON APCH TO BFI BEFORE ESTABLISHING HIS POSITION AT NOLA NDB.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING IFR APCHS AT PAE, THE WX CONDITIONS BEGAN TO GO DOWN TO MINIMUMS (WHICH WAS NOT IN THE FORECAST--WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO GO BELOW 2000' SCATTERED-BROKEN FOR THE DAY), SO WE DECIDED TO GO TO BFI, SHOOT AN ILS AND LAND DUE TO WX GETTING MUCH WORSE THAN FORECAST. I HAD NOT PLANNED TO FLY TO BFI DURING THIS FLT. THE SPI WAS HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME SO I WAS FLYING THE ACFT. I RECALLED THAT THE NOLA NDB LOM WAS UNUSABLE UNDER SOME SITUATIONS BUT COULD NOT RECALL WHICH THEY WERE AS I DID NOT GET A BRIEFING FOR THIS APCH. I DECIDED NOT TO USE THE NDB RATHER THAN RISK GETTING A FALSE INDICATION. THE MARKER LIGHTS FREQUENTLY DON'T WORK ON THIS SMA (ABOUT 1/2 OF THE TIME), SO I DECIDED TO JUST USE THE G/A INTERCEPT AS MY FINAL APCH FIX W/O CONFIRMATION FROM ANY OTHER NAVAID. WE RECEIVED AN APCH CLRNC OFF OF A RADAR VECTOR. A SHORT TIME LATER I BEGAN TO GET A G/S INDICATION AND STARTED MY DSNT. THE INTERCEPT ALT WAS 2200'. I WENT DOWN TO 1100' AND THE G/S INDICATION WAS NOT GOOD WITH THE FLAG COMING ON AND OFF. I CALLED APCH AND ASKED IF I SHOULD BE TALKING TO THE TWR (STILL IMC). APCH CTL REQUESTED MY ALT TO WHICH I RESPONDED 1100'. THEY ADVISED THAT I SHOULD CLB TO 2200', WHICH I DID. BY THAT TIME I HAD A G/S FLAG ON STEADY AND REALIZED I WAS NOT ON THE G/S (WAS STILL OUTSIDE NOLA). I MADE A POOR INTERP OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS CASE WHICH COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS RESULT. SEVERAL FACTORS: WAS BUSY WITH WX GETTING MUCH WORSE--ICE AND TURB. DIDN'T HAVE A BRIEFING FOR THIS ARPT AS I WAS NOT PLANNING TO GO THERE. DECIDED NOT TO USE NOLA (NOT SURE IF THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA OR NOT). FOLLOWED A FALSE G/S W/O A REALLY POSITIVE INDICATION. DID NOT ASK APCH CTL WHAT PORTION OF THE NAVAID WAS WORKING OR USABLE. USING AN ACFT WITH RADIO EQUIP THAT ON A GOOD DAY DOES NOT REALLY WORK ALL THAT GREAT (NORMAL FOR AN SMA). JUST MADE A BAD DECISION.
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.