Medium large transport flight allegedly held high for noise abatement then given visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	193941
Time
Date	199111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	193941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

ATC noise abatement procedure at cvg resulted in approach control asking if we had the field in sight then held us to 4000 MSL (well above GS intercept) until 7.5 DME at which point we were cleared for a visual approach. The next 8 KT tailwind at the surface was probably much higher at approach altitudes. With the aircraft fully configured for landing (30 flaps gear down) and idle power, the GS was not intercepted until 1000 AGL over the river. I feel that this is a potentially dangerous and unnecessary maneuver that will result in many missed approachs or unstabilized approachs close in to the runway. In the medium large transport, this procedure should never be flown with the autoplt engaged as capturing the GS from above from a steep approach can result in a dangerous pitch up. I recommend that if the cvg airport wants to use a 4000 ft noise abatement approach altitude for runway 18L, that aircraft be allowed to fly the GS from intercept at 4000 ft MSL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT ALLEGEDLY HELD HIGH FOR NOISE ABATEMENT THEN GIVEN VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: ATC NOISE ABATEMENT PROC AT CVG RESULTED IN APCH CTL ASKING IF WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT THEN HELD US TO 4000 MSL (WELL ABOVE GS INTERCEPT) UNTIL 7.5 DME AT WHICH POINT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE NEXT 8 KT TAILWIND AT THE SURFACE WAS PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER AT APCH ALTS. WITH THE ACFT FULLY CONFIGURED FOR LNDG (30 FLAPS GEAR DOWN) AND IDLE PWR, THE GS WAS NOT INTERCEPTED UNTIL 1000 AGL OVER THE RIVER. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND UNNECESSARY MANEUVER THAT WILL RESULT IN MANY MISSED APCHS OR UNSTABILIZED APCHS CLOSE IN TO THE RWY. IN THE MLG, THIS PROC SHOULD NEVER BE FLOWN WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED AS CAPTURING THE GS FROM ABOVE FROM A STEEP APCH CAN RESULT IN A DANGEROUS PITCH UP. I RECOMMEND THAT IF THE CVG ARPT WANTS TO USE A 4000 FT NOISE ABATEMENT APCH ALT FOR RWY 18L, THAT ACFT BE ALLOWED TO FLY THE GS FROM INTERCEPT AT 4000 FT MSL.

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.