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Student pilot making an approach descends too low and cannot find the airport for the trees. Student pilot comments to tower who instructs him to climb to a safe altitude. When doing so the airport is sighted.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 396327 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : crg |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : crg |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Tampico TB-9 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 64 |
| ASRS Report | 396327 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Student pilot was inbound from 28J to crg. Navaids included GPS, pilotage, dead reckoning and VOR. Craig tower told me to enter a left base for runway 32. I began my descent from 3000 ft MSL 10 mi from the airport. I misjudged my descent and was too low as I approached the field. Due to my low altitude and 140 ft trees closely surrounding the airport, I did not have runway 32 in sight. I told the tower that I did not have the runway in sight and they told me to climb to a safe altitude and to turn right. As I turned right, I immediately saw runway 32, as the turn enabled me to see past the trees, and I noticed that I was set up for the left base to runway 32, my original instructions. I was on a rather tight base, so I asked if I could turn right on a short downwind parallel and away from the runway to have more time to set up to land. Craig tower said no problem and cleared me to land.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: STUDENT PLT MAKING AN APCH DSNDS TOO LOW AND CANNOT FIND THE ARPT FOR THE TREES. STUDENT PLT COMMENTS TO TWR WHO INSTRUCTS HIM TO CLB TO A SAFE ALT. WHEN DOING SO THE ARPT IS SIGHTED.
Narrative: STUDENT PLT WAS INBOUND FROM 28J TO CRG. NAVAIDS INCLUDED GPS, PILOTAGE, DEAD RECKONING AND VOR. CRAIG TWR TOLD ME TO ENTER A L BASE FOR RWY 32. I BEGAN MY DSCNT FROM 3000 FT MSL 10 MI FROM THE ARPT. I MISJUDGED MY DSCNT AND WAS TOO LOW AS I APCHED THE FIELD. DUE TO MY LOW ALT AND 140 FT TREES CLOSELY SURROUNDING THE ARPT, I DID NOT HAVE RWY 32 IN SIGHT. I TOLD THE TWR THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT AND THEY TOLD ME TO CLB TO A SAFE ALT AND TO TURN R. AS I TURNED R, I IMMEDIATELY SAW RWY 32, AS THE TURN ENABLED ME TO SEE PAST THE TREES, AND I NOTICED THAT I WAS SET UP FOR THE L BASE TO RWY 32, MY ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS. I WAS ON A RATHER TIGHT BASE, SO I ASKED IF I COULD TURN R ON A SHORT DOWNWIND PARALLEL AND AWAY FROM THE RWY TO HAVE MORE TIME TO SET UP TO LAND. CRAIG TWR SAID NO PROB AND CLRED ME TO LAND.
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.