Navigation error during rosslyn lda approach to dca.

Attributes
ACN	174744
Time
Date	199103
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	departure : noise abatement
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	174744
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Combination of poor turn on to lda, marginal visibility and a quartering tailwind resulted in ground track not totally in agreement with procedure for roslyn lda to 18 to dca. May have cut corner at 3.5 DME transition to the river. Recommend: with 5 mi or less the lda DME to 18 is better than the roslyn lda because it eliminates the turn or visibility procedure. This approach (roslyn lda) is a trap for pilots, dca is an extremely outdated facility, especially for a south operation. The controllers are fine, however there is not much to work with for both airmen and ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAVIGATION ERROR DURING ROSSLYN LDA APCH TO DCA.

Narrative: COMBINATION OF POOR TURN ON TO LDA, MARGINAL VISIBILITY AND A QUARTERING TAILWIND RESULTED IN GND TRACK NOT TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH PROC FOR ROSLYN LDA TO 18 TO DCA. MAY HAVE CUT CORNER AT 3.5 DME TRANSITION TO THE RIVER. RECOMMEND: WITH 5 MI OR LESS THE LDA DME TO 18 IS BETTER THAN THE ROSLYN LDA BECAUSE IT ELIMINATES THE TURN OR VIS PROC. THIS APCH (ROSLYN LDA) IS A TRAP FOR PLTS, DCA IS AN EXTREMELY OUTDATED FAC, ESPECIALLY FOR A S OPERATION. THE CTLRS ARE FINE, HOWEVER THERE IS NOT MUCH TO WORK WITH FOR BOTH AIRMEN AND ATC.

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.