Lda approach evaluation.

Attributes
ACN	316674
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	316674
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I am a 10000 plus hour captain with over 6000 hours PIC in type. I fly an emb-120 brazilia, which is a 30 passenger twin turboprop. It was sep/xx/95. Time approximately XX15 a.M. Local. We departed rno for sfo. The following are my positive and negative comments. Negative -- WX was marginally good enough for visual approachs. WX 1900 ft scattered M21 broken 20 mi visibility, wind 230 degrees at 7 KTS. We had the bridge and coyote point in sight over fremont. We had a wake encounter (not dangerous to belted passenger/crew) 6 plus mi in trail of a B757 near louee about 1000 ft above the minimum altitude. We crossed the missed approach point (6.2 DME) at 2100 ft. This was just breaking out. We were unwilling to descend faster due to wake turbulence concerns. There was very visible wake turbulence on the water with mini water spouts still around. We were no more than 3600 ft (less than the prescribed 3/4 mi) behind the parallel traffic as they crossed the threshold. This was judged by the length of the approach lighting system. We still had a 58 min flow delay. We still had holding (one turn). We still had delay vectors. Our 60 min flight actually blocked 86 minutes. Positive -- we saw our parallel traffic entering the clouds, so we knew where to look breaking out. I felt comfortable with the parallel traffic. Conclusions -- I will accept the lda/DME runway 28R approach in the future except when following a heavy B757. I don't think it helped reduce the delay or increase capacity. I think the approach is a big waste of money. The times it can be used are extremely limited and it doesn't seem to help much anyway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LDA APCH EVALUATION.

Narrative: I AM A 10000 PLUS HR CAPT WITH OVER 6000 HRS PIC IN TYPE. I FLY AN EMB-120 BRAZILIA, WHICH IS A 30 PAX TWIN TURBOPROP. IT WAS SEP/XX/95. TIME APPROX XX15 A.M. LCL. WE DEPARTED RNO FOR SFO. THE FOLLOWING ARE MY POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE COMMENTS. NEGATIVE -- WX WAS MARGINALLY GOOD ENOUGH FOR VISUAL APCHS. WX 1900 FT SCATTERED M21 BROKEN 20 MI VISIBILITY, WIND 230 DEGS AT 7 KTS. WE HAD THE BRIDGE AND COYOTE POINT IN SIGHT OVER FREMONT. WE HAD A WAKE ENCOUNTER (NOT DANGEROUS TO BELTED PAX/CREW) 6 PLUS MI IN TRAIL OF A B757 NEAR LOUEE ABOUT 1000 FT ABOVE THE MINIMUM ALT. WE CROSSED THE MISSED APCH POINT (6.2 DME) AT 2100 FT. THIS WAS JUST BREAKING OUT. WE WERE UNWILLING TO DSND FASTER DUE TO WAKE TURB CONCERNS. THERE WAS VERY VISIBLE WAKE TURB ON THE WATER WITH MINI WATER SPOUTS STILL AROUND. WE WERE NO MORE THAN 3600 FT (LESS THAN THE PRESCRIBED 3/4 MI) BEHIND THE PARALLEL TFC AS THEY CROSSED THE THRESHOLD. THIS WAS JUDGED BY THE LENGTH OF THE APCH LIGHTING SYS. WE STILL HAD A 58 MIN FLOW DELAY. WE STILL HAD HOLDING (ONE TURN). WE STILL HAD DELAY VECTORS. OUR 60 MIN FLT ACTUALLY BLOCKED 86 MINUTES. POSITIVE -- WE SAW OUR PARALLEL TFC ENTERING THE CLOUDS, SO WE KNEW WHERE TO LOOK BREAKING OUT. I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE PARALLEL TFC. CONCLUSIONS -- I WILL ACCEPT THE LDA/DME RWY 28R APCH IN THE FUTURE EXCEPT WHEN FOLLOWING A HVY B757. I DON'T THINK IT HELPED REDUCE THE DELAY OR INCREASE CAPACITY. I THINK THE APCH IS A BIG WASTE OF MONEY. THE TIMES IT CAN BE USED ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP MUCH ANYWAY.

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.