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An air carrier large transport crew descended below the FAF altitude due to a false needle swing on an NDB approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 233655 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199302 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : msy |
| State Reference | LA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : msy |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 233655 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Descent below FAF prior to reaching FAF due to false ADF needle swing in cockpit. *The reporting captain states that he had a good identify on the kinte beacon, both on the ground and in the air, and that the needle seemed to point properly while on the ground. No one of the 5 in the cockpit could recall if the marker beacon flashed while on the approach. There was some 'shower activity in the area, but the reporter does not think that the needle was pointing at a thunderstorm. The first officer was not one of the best that this captain had ever seen, and the so was new to the company and may have been reluctant to speak up. The so did notice that the DME was not proper for crossing kinte, but said nothing. A later check of the aircraft maintenance records did not show any problems with the ADF system. The first officer called msy tower at the crew's next stop to find that there was maintenance being done on the ILS, and that the tower was not considering any further action against the crew.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR LGT CREW DSNDED BELOW THE FAF ALT DUE TO A FALSE NEEDLE SWING ON AN NDB APCH.
Narrative: DSCNT BELOW FAF PRIOR TO REACHING FAF DUE TO FALSE ADF NEEDLE SWING IN COCKPIT. *THE RPTING CAPT STATES THAT HE HAD A GOOD IDENT ON THE KINTE BEACON, BOTH ON THE GND AND IN THE AIR, AND THAT THE NEEDLE SEEMED TO POINT PROPERLY WHILE ON THE GND. NO ONE OF THE 5 IN THE COCKPIT COULD RECALL IF THE MARKER BEACON FLASHED WHILE ON THE APCH. THERE WAS SOME 'SHOWER ACTIVITY IN THE AREA, BUT THE RPTR DOES NOT THINK THAT THE NEEDLE WAS POINTING AT A TSTM. THE FO WAS NOT ONE OF THE BEST THAT THIS CAPT HAD EVER SEEN, AND THE SO WAS NEW TO THE COMPANY AND MAY HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO SPEAK UP. THE SO DID NOTICE THAT THE DME WAS NOT PROPER FOR XING KINTE, BUT SAID NOTHING. A LATER CHK OF THE ACFT MAINT RECORDS DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBS WITH THE ADF SYS. THE FO CALLED MSY TWR AT THE CREW'S NEXT STOP TO FIND THAT THERE WAS MAINT BEING DONE ON THE ILS, AND THAT THE TWR WAS NOT CONSIDERING ANY FURTHER ACTION AGAINST THE CREW.
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.