Narrative:

WX at orh 5000 scattered 4 haze. Runway 29 in use. Bradley approach vectors to runway 29 NDB flying 030 degree heading for NDB runway 29 approach at orh. I was expecting vectors to final approach course or a visual approach upon sighting airport. The captain tuned in NDB, which was fluctuating 030-060 degrees, we were cleared direct to NDB at 4000 ft. Approach then 'cleared for NDB approach runway 29 descend and maintain 3000 radar contact lost report inbound.' now we are on our own. WX (flight) conditions are VFR. I asked the captain 'how are you going to do this?' he replied 'just circle around and go in.' I took this to mean at the very least he would follow procedure. Well he got just to the east of beacon and instead of turning outbound to join the 'race track' and get established on approach he turned left -- around to the north of the beacon and started inbound to the airport. He also started a fast descent to bda! We were not on the approach -- we were not established on a course/approach. Not established on anything. As soon as he started the turn I protested. I protested louder when he started the descent. He replied 'I know where I am, report inbound.' I told him we did not know where we were since we were not off the approach. I was frantically looking for airport in the haze and the location of towers on chart. Finally picked up airport to the northwest -- (he overshot his intercept). It all happened fast. We were in VFR conditions -- not in danger of hitting ground. If I had tried to take over aircraft the matter would be worse although I was seconds away from doing that when airport came into view. The verbal argument in the cockpit on approach/final was bad enough. On the ground I was extremely mad. The captain stated that he was right and everything was okay. I told him that instrument approach procedures must be followed. He honestly did not know how to shoot that approach. So he did what was easiest for him. I found it appalling that an airline captain with 15 yrs experience did not know how to shoot an instrument approach. This is simple elementary stuff. Other items. Orh is bad. Bradley approach handles inbounds -- non radar. Better instruments approachs ie, ILS to 29. Better handling by approach. Vectors to final approach course instead of just being turned loose.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLRED FOR NDB APCH. CAPT TURNS WRONG DIRECTION, DSNDS BEFORE ACTUALLY ON THE APCH.

Narrative: WX AT ORH 5000 SCATTERED 4 HAZE. RWY 29 IN USE. BRADLEY APCH VECTORS TO RWY 29 NDB FLYING 030 DEG HDG FOR NDB RWY 29 APCH AT ORH. I WAS EXPECTING VECTORS TO FINAL APCH COURSE OR A VISUAL APCH UPON SIGHTING ARPT. THE CAPT TUNED IN NDB, WHICH WAS FLUCTUATING 030-060 DEGS, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO NDB AT 4000 FT. APCH THEN 'CLRED FOR NDB APCH RWY 29 DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 RADAR CONTACT LOST RPT INBOUND.' NOW WE ARE ON OUR OWN. WX (FLT) CONDITIONS ARE VFR. I ASKED THE CAPT 'HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THIS?' HE REPLIED 'JUST CIRCLE AROUND AND GO IN.' I TOOK THIS TO MEAN AT THE VERY LEAST HE WOULD FOLLOW PROC. WELL HE GOT JUST TO THE E OF BEACON AND INSTEAD OF TURNING OUTBOUND TO JOIN THE 'RACE TRACK' AND GET ESTABLISHED ON APCH HE TURNED L -- AROUND TO THE N OF THE BEACON AND STARTED INBOUND TO THE ARPT. HE ALSO STARTED A FAST DSCNT TO BDA! WE WERE NOT ON THE APCH -- WE WERE NOT ESTABLISHED ON A COURSE/APCH. NOT ESTABLISHED ON ANYTHING. AS SOON AS HE STARTED THE TURN I PROTESTED. I PROTESTED LOUDER WHEN HE STARTED THE DSCNT. HE REPLIED 'I KNOW WHERE I AM, RPT INBOUND.' I TOLD HIM WE DID NOT KNOW WHERE WE WERE SINCE WE WERE NOT OFF THE APCH. I WAS FRANTICALLY LOOKING FOR ARPT IN THE HAZE AND THE LOCATION OF TWRS ON CHART. FINALLY PICKED UP ARPT TO THE NW -- (HE OVERSHOT HIS INTERCEPT). IT ALL HAPPENED FAST. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS -- NOT IN DANGER OF HITTING GND. IF I HAD TRIED TO TAKE OVER ACFT THE MATTER WOULD BE WORSE ALTHOUGH I WAS SECONDS AWAY FROM DOING THAT WHEN ARPT CAME INTO VIEW. THE VERBAL ARGUMENT IN THE COCKPIT ON APCH/FINAL WAS BAD ENOUGH. ON THE GND I WAS EXTREMELY MAD. THE CAPT STATED THAT HE WAS RIGHT AND EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. I TOLD HIM THAT INST APCH PROCS MUST BE FOLLOWED. HE HONESTLY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SHOOT THAT APCH. SO HE DID WHAT WAS EASIEST FOR HIM. I FOUND IT APPALLING THAT AN AIRLINE CAPT WITH 15 YRS EXPERIENCE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SHOOT AN INST APCH. THIS IS SIMPLE ELEMENTARY STUFF. OTHER ITEMS. ORH IS BAD. BRADLEY APCH HANDLES INBOUNDS -- NON RADAR. BETTER INSTS APCHS IE, ILS TO 29. BETTER HANDLING BY APCH. VECTORS TO FINAL APCH COURSE INSTEAD OF JUST BEING TURNED LOOSE.

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.