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Cargo aircraft has intermittent DME. Reports position by 'guess,' cleared to descend before reaching intersection.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 217854 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199208 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mso |
| State Reference | MT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v187 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 3990 flight time type : 60 |
| ASRS Report | 217854 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
During this segment of the flight, even though the min reception altitude is 11400 MSL, the DME goes off and on and off constantly at 13000 MSL. I was told to report pomac intersection so I could descend to 11000 MSL, and then the DME goes out due to bad reception in this area. I estimated pomac best I could and reported pomac. Then the DME comes back on at 22 DME and approach asked my position. I told them 22 DME and they said I already reported pomac and was cleared to 11000. They tried to tell me 'pomac was 20 DME and fortunately it was good VFR.' rather than try to explain over the radio, I just agreed with them and continued into mso. I could not receive drummond VOR for a positive fix for pomac, either. Reception in this area is bad all around. For another example, not associated with this report, is the fact that at ketch intersection off the drummond VOR, 103 degree radial at 26 DME, I cannot receive drummond VOR at 12000 MSL to identify ketch. 'Just wait until the btm ILS comes in and you're at ketch,' other pilots have told me. The equipment in my plane is good. They are new small transport's hauling commercial company cargo and maintained very well. I change from 1 plane to another, and all our small transport's have reception problems in this area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CARGO ACFT HAS INTERMITTENT DME. RPTS POS BY 'GUESS,' CLRED TO DSND BEFORE REACHING INTXN.
Narrative: DURING THIS SEGMENT OF THE FLT, EVEN THOUGH THE MIN RECEPTION ALT IS 11400 MSL, THE DME GOES OFF AND ON AND OFF CONSTANTLY AT 13000 MSL. I WAS TOLD TO RPT POMAC INTXN SO I COULD DSND TO 11000 MSL, AND THEN THE DME GOES OUT DUE TO BAD RECEPTION IN THIS AREA. I ESTIMATED POMAC BEST I COULD AND RPTED POMAC. THEN THE DME COMES BACK ON AT 22 DME AND APCH ASKED MY POS. I TOLD THEM 22 DME AND THEY SAID I ALREADY RPTED POMAC AND WAS CLRED TO 11000. THEY TRIED TO TELL ME 'POMAC WAS 20 DME AND FORTUNATELY IT WAS GOOD VFR.' RATHER THAN TRY TO EXPLAIN OVER THE RADIO, I JUST AGREED WITH THEM AND CONTINUED INTO MSO. I COULD NOT RECEIVE DRUMMOND VOR FOR A POSITIVE FIX FOR POMAC, EITHER. RECEPTION IN THIS AREA IS BAD ALL AROUND. FOR ANOTHER EXAMPLE, NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RPT, IS THE FACT THAT AT KETCH INTXN OFF THE DRUMMOND VOR, 103 DEG RADIAL AT 26 DME, I CANNOT RECEIVE DRUMMOND VOR AT 12000 MSL TO IDENT KETCH. 'JUST WAIT UNTIL THE BTM ILS COMES IN AND YOU'RE AT KETCH,' OTHER PLTS HAVE TOLD ME. THE EQUIP IN MY PLANE IS GOOD. THEY ARE NEW SMT'S HAULING COMMERCIAL COMPANY CARGO AND MAINTAINED VERY WELL. I CHANGE FROM 1 PLANE TO ANOTHER, AND ALL OUR SMT'S HAVE RECEPTION PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA.
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.