Narrative:

A scheduled DC10 cargo flight from kuala lumper to penang, malaysia on airways at FL220. Descent was requested and received to 4000 ft and direct to penang VOR. Approach said to expect ILS to runway 4. The ILS in use uses a 15 mi arc at 2500 ft to intercept the ILS final approach. On approaching 20 NM we repeatedly ask for clearance for an approach. We were then cleared to 2500 ft and direct to the VOR. Since we were in radar contact we assumed there would be a vector to turn and intercept. At the VOR descending through 2800-2500 ft approach asked for and received our altitude. His response was climb immediately as MSA was 4000 ft! We climbed to 4000 ft while turning outbound to set up for a procedure turn. ILS approach and landing was accomplished. Penang approach asks for IFF code and squawk, but acts like there is no radar. There is 4 separate approach plates that have an ILS to runway 4, each a different procedure. Penang approach needs to communicate precisely what they want. Numerous calls were ignored or did not respond to our questions/requests. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was unaware if there was a loss of terrain separation (MVA) when the aircraft passed the VOR at 2800 ft. Reporter was upset with the handling and the slow response of the controller. Reporter indicated that after being told to climb they told the controller they would make the approach with a procedure turn and the controller just acknowledged. Reporter is unaware as to why the controller descended them to 2500 ft with a VOR clearance limit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DC10 CARGO FLT IS DSNDED BELOW THE MSA FOR THE ILS APCH IN USE ON DIRECT VOR CLRNC. MINIMUM ALT DEPICTED TO THE VOR IS 4000 FT. FLC HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING COM RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR.

Narrative: A SCHEDULED DC10 CARGO FLT FROM KUALA LUMPER TO PENANG, MALAYSIA ON AIRWAYS AT FL220. DSCNT WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED TO 4000 FT AND DIRECT TO PENANG VOR. APCH SAID TO EXPECT ILS TO RWY 4. THE ILS IN USE USES A 15 MI ARC AT 2500 FT TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FINAL APCH. ON APCHING 20 NM WE REPEATEDLY ASK FOR CLRNC FOR AN APCH. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 2500 FT AND DIRECT TO THE VOR. SINCE WE WERE IN RADAR CONTACT WE ASSUMED THERE WOULD BE A VECTOR TO TURN AND INTERCEPT. AT THE VOR DSNDING THROUGH 2800-2500 FT APCH ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED OUR ALT. HIS RESPONSE WAS CLB IMMEDIATELY AS MSA WAS 4000 FT! WE CLBED TO 4000 FT WHILE TURNING OUTBOUND TO SET UP FOR A PROC TURN. ILS APCH AND LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. PENANG APCH ASKS FOR IFF CODE AND SQUAWK, BUT ACTS LIKE THERE IS NO RADAR. THERE IS 4 SEPARATE APCH PLATES THAT HAVE AN ILS TO RWY 4, EACH A DIFFERENT PROC. PENANG APCH NEEDS TO COMMUNICATE PRECISELY WHAT THEY WANT. NUMEROUS CALLS WERE IGNORED OR DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR QUESTIONS/REQUESTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS UNAWARE IF THERE WAS A LOSS OF TERRAIN SEPARATION (MVA) WHEN THE ACFT PASSED THE VOR AT 2800 FT. RPTR WAS UPSET WITH THE HANDLING AND THE SLOW RESPONSE OF THE CTLR. RPTR INDICATED THAT AFTER BEING TOLD TO CLB THEY TOLD THE CTLR THEY WOULD MAKE THE APCH WITH A PROC TURN AND THE CTLR JUST ACKNOWLEDGED. RPTR IS UNAWARE AS TO WHY THE CTLR DSNDED THEM TO 2500 FT WITH A VOR CLRNC LIMIT.

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.