Flight crew of air carrier large transport aircraft became disoriented during an approach DME arc re...

Attributes
ACN	236682
Time
Date	199303
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hln
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hln
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1440
ASRS Report	236682
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	236597
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Proceeding direct while en route from kalispell to helena, the captain made contact with helena approach at approximately hln 300/17 DME and at 12000 ft. Approach gave us the option of localizer DME (back course) C or to be sent well east of hln while he cleared out other traffic. I chose the localizer DME (back course) C, which was a mistake due to previous expectations of the ILS runway 27 approach and our current high airspeed and proximity to the 13 DME arc. At 14 DME, approach cleared us to join the 13 DME arc northwest of hln for the localizer DME (back course) C and to descend to 10000 ft. I completed the 300 KIAS sbound turn inside the arc at 9 DME and corrected back as I dialed in the front course of 267 degrees, all in VMC. In the process of descending to 10000 ft, trying to establish the arc, briefing the new approach, and tuning in the localizer, I apparently flew through the localizer course. As I leveled at 10000 ft, now in IMC, both the so and I realized the course had been missed. The captain informed approach that we were no southwest of hln and requested clearance direct to hln VOR to set up for another approach. Approach cleared us to hln VOR and asked twice for our position. The captain replied that we were southwest of hln each time and also that we had climbed to 12000 ft during the turn (from approximately hln 210/15 DME to the VOR). Approach cleared us to 10000 ft again so I descended to 10000 ft en route to the VOR. Approximately 4 DME we entered VMC, saw the airport, and cancelled IFR. Approach instructed us to squawk VFR and contact tower. The captain advised tower that we were overhead the VOR, northbound, and requested a right downwind to runway 27. Tower stated that he could not see us, but cleared us for a left downwind to runway 27, which would have taken us south of hln VOR near the terrain. I continued on approximately a 030 degree heading, descending from 10000 ft to 7000 ft while the captain explained to tower our position, now north of hln VOR, and that we were requesting a right base to runway 27. Tower cleared another aircraft to takeoff runway 9, then finally sighted us north of the field and cleared us for a right base to runway 27. I made a normal landing on runway 27. A very confusing time for everyone, all because I accepted a 'last min' clearance to do something that was neither prepared for, nor even expected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LGT ACFT BECAME DISORIENTED DURING AN APCH DME ARC RESULTING IN THE ABANDONMENT OF THE APCH AND CLBING TO A HIGHER ALT THEN CLRED FOR TERRAIN CLRNC.

Narrative: PROCEEDING DIRECT WHILE ENRTE FROM KALISPELL TO HELENA, THE CAPT MADE CONTACT WITH HELENA APCH AT APPROX HLN 300/17 DME AND AT 12000 FT. APCH GAVE US THE OPTION OF LOC DME (BACK COURSE) C OR TO BE SENT WELL E OF HLN WHILE HE CLRED OUT OTHER TFC. I CHOSE THE LOC DME (BACK COURSE) C, WHICH WAS A MISTAKE DUE TO PREVIOUS EXPECTATIONS OF THE ILS RWY 27 APCH AND OUR CURRENT HIGH AIRSPD AND PROX TO THE 13 DME ARC. AT 14 DME, APCH CLRED US TO JOIN THE 13 DME ARC NW OF HLN FOR THE LOC DME (BACK COURSE) C AND TO DSND TO 10000 FT. I COMPLETED THE 300 KIAS SBOUND TURN INSIDE THE ARC AT 9 DME AND CORRECTED BACK AS I DIALED IN THE FRONT COURSE OF 267 DEGS, ALL IN VMC. IN THE PROCESS OF DSNDING TO 10000 FT, TRYING TO ESTABLISH THE ARC, BRIEFING THE NEW APCH, AND TUNING IN THE LOC, I APPARENTLY FLEW THROUGH THE LOC COURSE. AS I LEVELED AT 10000 FT, NOW IN IMC, BOTH THE SO AND I REALIZED THE COURSE HAD BEEN MISSED. THE CAPT INFORMED APCH THAT WE WERE NO SW OF HLN AND REQUESTED CLRNC DIRECT TO HLN VOR TO SET UP FOR ANOTHER APCH. APCH CLRED US TO HLN VOR AND ASKED TWICE FOR OUR POS. THE CAPT REPLIED THAT WE WERE SW OF HLN EACH TIME AND ALSO THAT WE HAD CLBED TO 12000 FT DURING THE TURN (FROM APPROX HLN 210/15 DME TO THE VOR). APCH CLRED US TO 10000 FT AGAIN SO I DSNDED TO 10000 FT ENRTE TO THE VOR. APPROX 4 DME WE ENTERED VMC, SAW THE ARPT, AND CANCELLED IFR. APCH INSTRUCTED US TO SQUAWK VFR AND CONTACT TWR. THE CAPT ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE OVERHEAD THE VOR, NBOUND, AND REQUESTED A R DOWNWIND TO RWY 27. TWR STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE US, BUT CLRED US FOR A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 27, WHICH WOULD HAVE TAKEN US S OF HLN VOR NEAR THE TERRAIN. I CONTINUED ON APPROX A 030 DEG HDG, DSNDING FROM 10000 FT TO 7000 FT WHILE THE CAPT EXPLAINED TO TWR OUR POS, NOW N OF HLN VOR, AND THAT WE WERE REQUESTING A R BASE TO RWY 27. TWR CLRED ANOTHER ACFT TO TKOF RWY 9, THEN FINALLY SIGHTED US N OF THE FIELD AND CLRED US FOR A R BASE TO RWY 27. I MADE A NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 27. A VERY CONFUSING TIME FOR EVERYONE, ALL BECAUSE I ACCEPTED A 'LAST MIN' CLRNC TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS NEITHER PREPARED FOR, NOR EVEN EXPECTED.

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.

Flight crew of air carrier large transport aircraft became disoriented during an approach DME arc resulting in the abandonment of the approach and climbing to a higher altitude then cleared for terrain clearance.