Pilot of small aircraft approaching amw airport on localizer approach spotted airport when passing o...

Attributes
ACN	198339
Time
Date	199112
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : amw
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 450 agl bound upper : 450
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dwm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1275 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	198339
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera 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:

I was doing a localizer 3 approach into amw with a southeast wind when I spotted the airport at 450 ft, AGL, as I was crossing over it. The MDA is 370 ft. So I decided to circle to land on 13. I made a right 45 degree turn then decided to continue the right turn to maintain visual contact, but I couldn't get lined up with the runway, so I turned left to try again. I lost contact with the airport and was just about to do a missed approach when I saw the airport again. I still couldn't get lined up so I circled one more time and when I came around I was at a 30 degree angle to the approach end of 13 at 200 ft, so I turned right to line up with the runway and climbed out on a missed approach. Meanwhile on the approach I called unicom and got the altitude setting. Unicom on 122.8 told me also that light activation was on 126.0. So I had one communication on 122.8 and the other on 126.0. I usually monitor both unicom and approach but here I couldn't. I was informed by the FAA in january that there was a problem. They said that I was out of contact with approach too long and that I should have done a missed approach sooner. I was carrying a congressman with me and he helped spot the airport, which caused me not to do a missed approach right away. Also I was a little unsure which missed to do, because 13, 31 have different ones.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA APCHING AMW ARPT ON LOC APCH SPOTTED ARPT WHEN PASSING OVER. ATTEMPTED TO CIRCLE FOR LNDG. MADE MAP AND NEXT TRY LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. OUT OF TOUCH WITH APCH CTLR IN CTL ZONE.

Narrative: I WAS DOING A LOC 3 APCH INTO AMW WITH A SE WIND WHEN I SPOTTED THE ARPT AT 450 FT, AGL, AS I WAS XING OVER IT. THE MDA IS 370 FT. SO I DECIDED TO CIRCLE TO LAND ON 13. I MADE A R 45 DEG TURN THEN DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE R TURN TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT, BUT I COULDN'T GET LINED UP WITH THE RWY, SO I TURNED L TO TRY AGAIN. I LOST CONTACT WITH THE ARPT AND WAS JUST ABOUT TO DO A MISSED APCH WHEN I SAW THE ARPT AGAIN. I STILL COULDN'T GET LINED UP SO I CIRCLED ONE MORE TIME AND WHEN I CAME AROUND I WAS AT A 30 DEG ANGLE TO THE APCH END OF 13 AT 200 FT, SO I TURNED R TO LINE UP WITH THE RWY AND CLBED OUT ON A MISSED APCH. MEANWHILE ON THE APCH I CALLED UNICOM AND GOT THE ALT SETTING. UNICOM ON 122.8 TOLD ME ALSO THAT LIGHT ACTIVATION WAS ON 126.0. SO I HAD ONE COM ON 122.8 AND THE OTHER ON 126.0. I USUALLY MONITOR BOTH UNICOM AND APCH BUT HERE I COULDN'T. I WAS INFORMED BY THE FAA IN JANUARY THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT I WAS OUT OF CONTACT WITH APCH TOO LONG AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE A MISSED APCH SOONER. I WAS CARRYING A CONGRESSMAN WITH ME AND HE HELPED SPOT THE ARPT, WHICH CAUSED ME NOT TO DO A MISSED APCH RIGHT AWAY. ALSO I WAS A LITTLE UNSURE WHICH MISSED TO DO, BECAUSE 13, 31 HAVE DIFFERENT ONES.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft approaching amw airport on localizer approach spotted airport when passing over. Attempted to circle for landing. Made map and next try landed successfully. Out of touch with approach controller in control zone.