Destabilized approach ensues when ATC holds 'em high near tri, tn.

Attributes
ACN	439777
Time
Date	199906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tri.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc tracon : tri.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Challenger CL604
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7700 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	439777
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching tri airport at night, center kept us high (11000 ft MSL) and we had to prompt them for a handoff to tri approach. At this stage, we were about 10 NM from the airport. Tri approach gave us a vector towards the OM from our position, which was basically abeam the airport, and cleared us down to 3700 ft MSL. Approach asked if we had the airport (tri) in sight and we replied that we did. Although we were really high and now only 3 NM from the approach end of runway 23, a busy but uneventful approach and landing was made at tri. It was only afterwards that we wondered if we had actually been cleared for the visual approach to runway 23. I believe that we were, but it got so busy with a high rate of descent, close-in turn, nighttime, that I cannot say for sure. In the future, I will avoid the trap of being lured into close-in approachs and will take my time with additional vectors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESTABILIZED APCH ENSUES WHEN ATC HOLDS 'EM HIGH NEAR TRI, TN.

Narrative: APCHING TRI ARPT AT NIGHT, CTR KEPT US HIGH (11000 FT MSL) AND WE HAD TO PROMPT THEM FOR A HDOF TO TRI APCH. AT THIS STAGE, WE WERE ABOUT 10 NM FROM THE ARPT. TRI APCH GAVE US A VECTOR TOWARDS THE OM FROM OUR POS, WHICH WAS BASICALLY ABEAM THE ARPT, AND CLRED US DOWN TO 3700 FT MSL. APCH ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT (TRI) IN SIGHT AND WE REPLIED THAT WE DID. ALTHOUGH WE WERE REALLY HIGH AND NOW ONLY 3 NM FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 23, A BUSY BUT UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG WAS MADE AT TRI. IT WAS ONLY AFTERWARDS THAT WE WONDERED IF WE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 23. I BELIEVE THAT WE WERE, BUT IT GOT SO BUSY WITH A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT, CLOSE-IN TURN, NIGHTTIME, THAT I CANNOT SAY FOR SURE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL AVOID THE TRAP OF BEING LURED INTO CLOSE-IN APCHS AND WILL TAKE MY TIME WITH ADDITIONAL VECTORS.

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.