Flight crew of widebody transport made NDB descent to VFR. Made landing from visual, approach.

Attributes
ACN	198575
Time
Date	199201
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 46
ASRS Report	198575
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Aircraft involved is a widebody transport. Reporter was very recently transitioned from large transport and on second line trip in widebody transport. First officer had 6 months experience on the aircraft. Approachs that are in the FMGC data base are automatically tuned by the computer. Those that are not are tuned through the mcdu (multi-function control display unit). A procedure this reporter had not seen since very early in training and never in the aircraft. Embarrassing as it is to note, I could not 'in the heat of battle' remember how to set up a non-data base VOR approach, using the mcdu or rmp (radio management panel). I know now! Additional factor was busy airspace in a very unusual confign -- it's not often we land on 1L at sna in marginal VFR. NDB approachs were very recently removed from the list of authority/authorized approachs in our company operations manual. So recently, in fact that this reporter received training in NDB approachs during transition, completed 12/91. Localizer (back course) approachs, the approach in use at sna at the time of the event, are not authorized for the widebody transport. The following is a transcription of this rptrs account to the company chief pilot, filed 1/92. Sna indicated 'M1600 overcast, 10 mi visibility, temperature 57, dew point 52, winds 340/8, altitude 29.84, localizer (back course) 1L in use. Since widebody transport isn't approved for localizer (back course), captain forwarded request through ont approach. Captain then directed first officer (with 6 months more experience in type) to fly the aircraft while captain set up and monitored the approach. Sna VORTAC was not in the data base, and captain was unable to hard tune (the VOR) on rad navigation page (of the mcdu). WX appeared VFR, large breaks in layers of clouds, at ksna, and time was now of the essence. Captain asked for and received clearance for NDB approach T9 VFR conditions, which were very shortly encountered. A visual descent to a normal landing was accomplished without incident. I recommend: review of VOR procedures on rad navigation page for non-data base vors. Reinstating NDB approachs in the flight operations manual. Adding sna VOR to data base.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF WDB MADE NDB DSCNT TO VFR. MADE LNDG FROM VISUAL, APCH.

Narrative: ACFT INVOLVED IS A WDB. RPTR WAS VERY RECENTLY TRANSITIONED FROM LGT AND ON SECOND LINE TRIP IN WDB. FO HAD 6 MONTHS EXPERIENCE ON THE ACFT. APCHS THAT ARE IN THE FMGC DATA BASE ARE AUTOMATICALLY TUNED BY THE COMPUTER. THOSE THAT ARE NOT ARE TUNED THROUGH THE MCDU (MULTI-FUNCTION CTL DISPLAY UNIT). A PROC THIS RPTR HAD NOT SEEN SINCE VERY EARLY IN TRAINING AND NEVER IN THE ACFT. EMBARRASSING AS IT IS TO NOTE, I COULD NOT 'IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE' REMEMBER HOW TO SET UP A NON-DATA BASE VOR APCH, USING THE MCDU OR RMP (RADIO MGMNT PANEL). I KNOW NOW! ADDITIONAL FACTOR WAS BUSY AIRSPACE IN A VERY UNUSUAL CONFIGN -- IT'S NOT OFTEN WE LAND ON 1L AT SNA IN MARGINAL VFR. NDB APCHS WERE VERY RECENTLY REMOVED FROM THE LIST OF AUTH APCHS IN OUR COMPANY OPS MANUAL. SO RECENTLY, IN FACT THAT THIS RPTR RECEIVED TRAINING IN NDB APCHS DURING TRANSITION, COMPLETED 12/91. LOC (BC) APCHS, THE APCH IN USE AT SNA AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT, ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THE WDB. THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPTION OF THIS RPTRS ACCOUNT TO THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT, FILED 1/92. SNA INDICATED 'M1600 OVCST, 10 MI VISIBILITY, TEMP 57, DEW POINT 52, WINDS 340/8, ALT 29.84, LOC (BC) 1L IN USE. SINCE WDB ISN'T APPROVED FOR LOC (BC), CAPT FORWARDED REQUEST THROUGH ONT APCH. CAPT THEN DIRECTED FO (WITH 6 MONTHS MORE EXPERIENCE IN TYPE) TO FLY THE ACFT WHILE CAPT SET UP AND MONITORED THE APCH. SNA VORTAC WAS NOT IN THE DATA BASE, AND CAPT WAS UNABLE TO HARD TUNE (THE VOR) ON RAD NAV PAGE (OF THE MCDU). WX APPEARED VFR, LARGE BREAKS IN LAYERS OF CLOUDS, AT KSNA, AND TIME WAS NOW OF THE ESSENCE. CAPT ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR NDB APCH T9 VFR CONDITIONS, WHICH WERE VERY SHORTLY ENCOUNTERED. A VISUAL DSCNT TO A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I RECOMMEND: REVIEW OF VOR PROCS ON RAD NAV PAGE FOR NON-DATA BASE VORS. REINSTATING NDB APCHS IN THE FLT OPS MANUAL. ADDING SNA VOR TO DATA BASE.

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.