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The reporter approaching in turbulence was kept high before being cleared for a visual and had to make a 360 degree to get down to his stabilized approach profile.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 334220 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : abq |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : abq |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 36 |
| ASRS Report | 334220 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
On descent to abq encountered moderate to severe turbulence. As passed over mountains, surface winds were 290-310 degrees at 22 KTS gusting to 29-35 KTS. Abq approach dumps us on final high, fast for a visual to runway 35. Due to construction the VORTAC is out. There is also no approach (other than an NDB to airport). We ended up doing a 360 degree to descend and set up for a stabilized approach. This is simply unsafe. Due to the terrain around the approach end of runway 35, visual GS determination is degraded. The VASI was barely useable due to blowing sand. This is an accident waiting to happen. Either allow pilots to get set up farther out especially during adverse conditions or put VORTAC back in service.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE RPTR APCHING IN TURB WAS KEPT HIGH BEFORE BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL AND HAD TO MAKE A 360 DEG TO GET DOWN TO HIS STABILIZED APCH PROFILE.
Narrative: ON DSCNT TO ABQ ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB. AS PASSED OVER MOUNTAINS, SURFACE WINDS WERE 290-310 DEGS AT 22 KTS GUSTING TO 29-35 KTS. ABQ APCH DUMPS US ON FINAL HIGH, FAST FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 35. DUE TO CONSTRUCTION THE VORTAC IS OUT. THERE IS ALSO NO APCH (OTHER THAN AN NDB TO ARPT). WE ENDED UP DOING A 360 DEG TO DSND AND SET UP FOR A STABILIZED APCH. THIS IS SIMPLY UNSAFE. DUE TO THE TERRAIN AROUND THE APCH END OF RWY 35, VISUAL GS DETERMINATION IS DEGRADED. THE VASI WAS BARELY USEABLE DUE TO BLOWING SAND. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. EITHER ALLOW PLTS TO GET SET UP FARTHER OUT ESPECIALLY DURING ADVERSE CONDITIONS OR PUT VORTAC BACK IN SVC.
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.