An spi embarrassed his instructor on a phase check.

Attributes
ACN	282952
Time
Date	199409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : myf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : myf tracon : rno
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	282952
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a pre-solo, progress check, the student pilot was cleared to land on runway 28L. The student failed to level-off at traffic pattern altitude and continued a descent which resulted in a very low altitude on the downwind to base leg turn. The student failed to name his turn to final and flew underneath traffic which was on final approach for runway 28R.I should have taken control of the aircraft sooner. 1) this was my first 'evaluative' flight (progress check). The chief flight instructor directed me not to say anything during the flight. 'Just request maneuvers and be a passenger,' he said. This was a factor. 2) 'if you do this right, we will have you do more progress checks.' this promise of reward really made me want this first student to pass. This factor also delayed me from taking control sooner. 3) I wanted to give the student every possibility to correct the error on his own. This desire to have student succeed delayed my actions. 4) I took control and assured visual separation from the traffic landing on the parallel runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SPI EMBARRASSED HIS INSTRUCTOR ON A PHASE CHK.

Narrative: DURING A PRE-SOLO, PROGRESS CHK, THE STUDENT PLT WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 28L. THE STUDENT FAILED TO LEVEL-OFF AT TFC PATTERN ALT AND CONTINUED A DSCNT WHICH RESULTED IN A VERY LOW ALT ON THE DOWNWIND TO BASE LEG TURN. THE STUDENT FAILED TO NAME HIS TURN TO FINAL AND FLEW UNDERNEATH TFC WHICH WAS ON FINAL APCH FOR RWY 28R.I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CTL OF THE ACFT SOONER. 1) THIS WAS MY FIRST 'EVALUATIVE' FLT (PROGRESS CHK). THE CHIEF FLT INSTRUCTOR DIRECTED ME NOT TO SAY ANYTHING DURING THE FLT. 'JUST REQUEST MANEUVERS AND BE A PAX,' HE SAID. THIS WAS A FACTOR. 2) 'IF YOU DO THIS RIGHT, WE WILL HAVE YOU DO MORE PROGRESS CHKS.' THIS PROMISE OF REWARD REALLY MADE ME WANT THIS FIRST STUDENT TO PASS. THIS FACTOR ALSO DELAYED ME FROM TAKING CTL SOONER. 3) I WANTED TO GIVE THE STUDENT EVERY POSSIBILITY TO CORRECT THE ERROR ON HIS OWN. THIS DESIRE TO HAVE STUDENT SUCCEED DELAYED MY ACTIONS. 4) I TOOK CTL AND ASSURED VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE TFC LNDG ON THE PARALLEL RWY.

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.