Narrative:

(ILS runway 35L den). Clearance for aircraft ahead of us, a DC8, was to maintain 7500 ft MSL to 'dymon' intersection. The GS intercept at dymon is 7000 ft MSL. This set up an unstable approach for this aircraft. Our clearance was to maintain 170 KTS to dymon, I am unsure if we were given the 7500 ft restr as well. The DC8 complained about the procedure to the controller. We locked onto the GS as we were cleared for the approach. The ctrl said nothing to us. Dymon (FAF) is only 4.5 mi from runway. It could not be legal to ask a DC8 and B727 to cross it at 170 KTS and 500 ft above GS. This procedure needs to be looked into. Both aircraft given the same bad clearance! So it must be a misunderstanding by the controllers! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter drove to the hotel with the crew of the DC8. The DC8 crew called den TRACON but got no satisfactory explanation of why they were given the altitude restr. The TRACON controller made a remark about an underlying airspace restr, but the class B airspace chart shows the floor as the surface in the vicinity of 'dymon.' the reporter is not sure if he got a restr altitude clearance on his approach. He points out that it is illegal for him to accept this clearance as his operating manual required him to be configured for landing and at speed at the FAF or GS intercept. The reporter got no change in clearance after TRACON asked if he was on the GS. The reporter understands that there have been many noise complaints from people living around the new den airport and that this may be the cause of high altitude over 'dymon.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FREIGHTER CAPT RPTS THAT HE MAY HAVE RECEIVED, AND A DC-8 FREIGHTER CREW DID RECEIVE, AN APCH CLRNC FROM DEN TRACON THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPLY WITH. HAD THE RPTR FLOWN THIS CLRNC, HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO VIOLATE HIS ACR PROCS FOR A STABILIZED IFR APCH. WX FACTORS LOW CEILING WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. NIGHT OP.

Narrative: (ILS RWY 35L DEN). CLRNC FOR ACFT AHEAD OF US, A DC8, WAS TO MAINTAIN 7500 FT MSL TO 'DYMON' INTXN. THE GS INTERCEPT AT DYMON IS 7000 FT MSL. THIS SET UP AN UNSTABLE APCH FOR THIS ACFT. OUR CLRNC WAS TO MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO DYMON, I AM UNSURE IF WE WERE GIVEN THE 7500 FT RESTR AS WELL. THE DC8 COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROC TO THE CTLR. WE LOCKED ONTO THE GS AS WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE CTRL SAID NOTHING TO US. DYMON (FAF) IS ONLY 4.5 MI FROM RWY. IT COULD NOT BE LEGAL TO ASK A DC8 AND B727 TO CROSS IT AT 170 KTS AND 500 FT ABOVE GS. THIS PROC NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. BOTH ACFT GIVEN THE SAME BAD CLRNC! SO IT MUST BE A MISUNDERSTANDING BY THE CTLRS! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR DROVE TO THE HOTEL WITH THE CREW OF THE DC8. THE DC8 CREW CALLED DEN TRACON BUT GOT NO SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION OF WHY THEY WERE GIVEN THE ALT RESTR. THE TRACON CTLR MADE A REMARK ABOUT AN UNDERLYING AIRSPACE RESTR, BUT THE CLASS B AIRSPACE CHART SHOWS THE FLOOR AS THE SURFACE IN THE VICINITY OF 'DYMON.' THE RPTR IS NOT SURE IF HE GOT A RESTR ALT CLRNC ON HIS APCH. HE POINTS OUT THAT IT IS ILLEGAL FOR HIM TO ACCEPT THIS CLRNC AS HIS OPERATING MANUAL REQUIRED HIM TO BE CONFIGURED FOR LNDG AND AT SPD AT THE FAF OR GS INTERCEPT. THE RPTR GOT NO CHANGE IN CLRNC AFTER TRACON ASKED IF HE WAS ON THE GS. THE RPTR UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY NOISE COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE LIVING AROUND THE NEW DEN ARPT AND THAT THIS MAY BE THE CAUSE OF HIGH ALT OVER 'DYMON.'

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.