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A cessna aircraft was assigned an IFR altitude of 1600 ft 4 times and yet the pilot descended on a non existing approach (VOR approach he made up) to an altitude of 540 ft. The controller reporter advised his supervisor who talked with the pilot and did not file a pilot deviation to the reporter's chagrin.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 361340 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199702 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ilm |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 540 agl bound upper : 1600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ilm |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 361340 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The cessna was assigned an IFR altitude to maintain 1600 ft. Despite being told 3 times to maintain 1600 ft the aircraft still descended executing what he called a VOR approach which ilm does not have. The pilot also was instructed to turn to a 360 degree heading which he acknowledged by saying 'turning,' but then continued on his fictitious VOR final approach course of 204 degrees and descended to 540 ft which was his fictitious MDA. This in my mind, was willful non compliance with ATC instruction. The ilm FAA supervisor spoke to the pilot who admitted he made a mistake. The supervisor was not willing to file a pilot deviation, despite controller request. The pilot is a flight instructor at the same airport/FBO that the FAA supervisor takes flight instruction.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CESSNA ACFT WAS ASSIGNED AN IFR ALT OF 1600 FT 4 TIMES AND YET THE PLT DSNDED ON A NON EXISTING APCH (VOR APCH HE MADE UP) TO AN ALT OF 540 FT. THE CTLR RPTR ADVISED HIS SUPVR WHO TALKED WITH THE PLT AND DID NOT FILE A PLTDEV TO THE RPTR'S CHAGRIN.
Narrative: THE CESSNA WAS ASSIGNED AN IFR ALT TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT. DESPITE BEING TOLD 3 TIMES TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT THE ACFT STILL DSNDED EXECUTING WHAT HE CALLED A VOR APCH WHICH ILM DOES NOT HAVE. THE PLT ALSO WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED BY SAYING 'TURNING,' BUT THEN CONTINUED ON HIS FICTITIOUS VOR FINAL APCH COURSE OF 204 DEGS AND DSNDED TO 540 FT WHICH WAS HIS FICTITIOUS MDA. THIS IN MY MIND, WAS WILLFUL NON COMPLIANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTION. THE ILM FAA SUPVR SPOKE TO THE PLT WHO ADMITTED HE MADE A MISTAKE. THE SUPVR WAS NOT WILLING TO FILE A PLTDEV, DESPITE CTLR REQUEST. THE PLT IS A FLT INSTRUCTOR AT THE SAME ARPT/FBO THAT THE FAA SUPVR TAKES FLT INSTRUCTION.
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.