Narrative:

We were talking to orlando approach about 5 mi west of airport (orlando international) heading north at 3000 ft MSL getting ready for a right pattern to runway 17. When we switched over to the final controller I asked the first officer to advise the controller that we had the airport visually and we could accept a tight approach. This is standard procedure in orlando, only it's usually a left pattern to 17 not right. The controller cleared us for a visual to 17R away and I think he gave us a 90 degree heading (I'm not sure) anyway I thought we were farther north than we were and as my copilot was on the PA I turned to 090 degrees for a base leg. Once I rolled out I realized we were too tight. At that point I should have advised the controller we needed to widen out our pattern, but due to a lot of talking on the radio, my copilot on the PA and myself busy slowing the aircraft down, I didn't have a choice. As I slowed and descended the aircraft we lowered gear and flaps for speed and turned a tight and high final. We were light (weight) but we were fast also. We had 10000 ft of runway and I knew I could get the airplane down safely, but there wasn't much margin for error. Everything worked out fine. We turned off the runway with our 3600 ft remaining, but someone from the company saw the approach and I was called into give my version of it. Although this was the first time in 4 1/2 yrs with the company I had been called in about my flying, the company ended up terminating me for this incident. I did bank more than 30 degrees for a few seconds when I was looking outside the cockpit but when I returned I realized and reduced the bank to 30 degrees. I also should have asked first officer to call the base leg as I couldn't see the airport from my side. The prudent thing would have been to execute a go around but as I thought a safe landing was assured I went ahead and landed. I don't believe I violated any FARS but I did exceed company standards. I think the union will get my job back for me but regardless I have learned a lesson -- no more tight approachs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT CREW MAKES HIGH, TIGHT VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE TALKING TO ORLANDO APCH ABOUT 5 MI W OF ARPT (ORLANDO INTL) HDG N AT 3000 FT MSL GETTING READY FOR A R PATTERN TO RWY 17. WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER TO THE FINAL CTLR I ASKED THE FO TO ADVISE THE CTLR THAT WE HAD THE ARPT VISUALLY AND WE COULD ACCEPT A TIGHT APCH. THIS IS STANDARD PROC IN ORLANDO, ONLY IT'S USUALLY A L PATTERN TO 17 NOT R. THE CTLR CLRED US FOR A VISUAL TO 17R AWAY AND I THINK HE GAVE US A 90 DEG HDG (I'M NOT SURE) ANYWAY I THOUGHT WE WERE FARTHER N THAN WE WERE AND AS MY COPLT WAS ON THE PA I TURNED TO 090 DEGS FOR A BASE LEG. ONCE I ROLLED OUT I REALIZED WE WERE TOO TIGHT. AT THAT POINT I SHOULD HAVE ADVISED THE CTLR WE NEEDED TO WIDEN OUT OUR PATTERN, BUT DUE TO A LOT OF TALKING ON THE RADIO, MY COPLT ON THE PA AND MYSELF BUSY SLOWING THE ACFT DOWN, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. AS I SLOWED AND DSNDED THE ACFT WE LOWERED GEAR AND FLAPS FOR SPD AND TURNED A TIGHT AND HIGH FINAL. WE WERE LIGHT (WT) BUT WE WERE FAST ALSO. WE HAD 10000 FT OF RWY AND I KNEW I COULD GET THE AIRPLANE DOWN SAFELY, BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH MARGIN FOR ERROR. EVERYTHING WORKED OUT FINE. WE TURNED OFF THE RWY WITH OUR 3600 FT REMAINING, BUT SOMEONE FROM THE COMPANY SAW THE APCH AND I WAS CALLED INTO GIVE MY VERSION OF IT. ALTHOUGH THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 4 1/2 YRS WITH THE COMPANY I HAD BEEN CALLED IN ABOUT MY FLYING, THE COMPANY ENDED UP TERMINATING ME FOR THIS INCIDENT. I DID BANK MORE THAN 30 DEGS FOR A FEW SECONDS WHEN I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT BUT WHEN I RETURNED I REALIZED AND REDUCED THE BANK TO 30 DEGS. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE ASKED FO TO CALL THE BASE LEG AS I COULDN'T SEE THE ARPT FROM MY SIDE. THE PRUDENT THING WOULD HAVE BEEN TO EXECUTE A GAR BUT AS I THOUGHT A SAFE LNDG WAS ASSURED I WENT AHEAD AND LANDED. I DON'T BELIEVE I VIOLATED ANY FARS BUT I DID EXCEED COMPANY STANDARDS. I THINK THE UNION WILL GET MY JOB BACK FOR ME BUT REGARDLESS I HAVE LEARNED A LESSON -- NO MORE TIGHT APCHS.

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.