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Small transport pilot enters VMC and descends visual prior to notifying ATC. Alarms sound as making contact.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202411 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : smx |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : vbg tower : smx |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 1771 flight time type : 455 |
| ASRS Report | 202411 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Smx localizer DME (back course) - a approach to runway 30 smx. Between koaks and camco on the approach course I entered VFR conditions during the descent from 4600 at koaks and prior to the 3000 required for camco and I had the airport in sight. I continued a VFR descent to land but did not call the tower to report 'VFR - airport in sight' quick enough. The VFR descent path I was then flying went below the published IFR step-down approach prior to reaching camco. This triggered the alarms at vandenberg approach. The smx tower called to relay a vandenberg caution to 'pull-up' as I was trying to call the tower to report 'VFR.' when I responded to the tower with 'airport in sight' I was cleared to land by the smx tower. Vandenberg approach asked me to call them after landing, which I did. The telephone conversation with a vandenberg approach controller centered on what triggered their alarms. When they learned I was VFR at the time they thanked me for the call and implied no further interest. I believe the procedural mistake I made was to start the VFR descent to the landing before I notified the tower that I was in VFR conditions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT PLT ENTERS VMC AND DSNDS VISUAL PRIOR TO NOTIFYING ATC. ALARMS SOUND AS MAKING CONTACT.
Narrative: SMX LOC DME (BACK COURSE) - A APCH TO RWY 30 SMX. BTWN KOAKS AND CAMCO ON THE APCH COURSE I ENTERED VFR CONDITIONS DURING THE DSCNT FROM 4600 AT KOAKS AND PRIOR TO THE 3000 REQUIRED FOR CAMCO AND I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I CONTINUED A VFR DSCNT TO LAND BUT DID NOT CALL THE TWR TO RPT 'VFR - ARPT IN SIGHT' QUICK ENOUGH. THE VFR DSCNT PATH I WAS THEN FLYING WENT BELOW THE PUBLISHED IFR STEP-DOWN APCH PRIOR TO REACHING CAMCO. THIS TRIGGERED THE ALARMS AT VANDENBERG APCH. THE SMX TWR CALLED TO RELAY A VANDENBERG CAUTION TO 'PULL-UP' AS I WAS TRYING TO CALL THE TWR TO RPT 'VFR.' WHEN I RESPONDED TO THE TWR WITH 'ARPT IN SIGHT' I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY THE SMX TWR. VANDENBERG APCH ASKED ME TO CALL THEM AFTER LNDG, WHICH I DID. THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH A VANDENBERG APCH CTLR CTRED ON WHAT TRIGGERED THEIR ALARMS. WHEN THEY LEARNED I WAS VFR AT THE TIME THEY THANKED ME FOR THE CALL AND IMPLIED NO FURTHER INTEREST. I BELIEVE THE PROCEDURAL MISTAKE I MADE WAS TO START THE VFR DSCNT TO THE LNDG BEFORE I NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS.
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.