Visual deviation on river visual to dca to avoid visual aircraft traffic by B727.

Attributes
ACN	439930
Time
Date	199906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils other localizer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	439930
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : returned to intended course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ATC facility: dca tower. Location: rosslyn lda 18. Upon reaching the lda 3.5 DME fix and entering VMC, I came off the gauges. At that time the flight engineer noted helicopter traffic to the left over the river. Rather than turn immediately left to intercept the river visual approach course, I stayed on the lda heading for approximately another 1 - 1 1/2 mi. The first officer then mentioned that we were supposed to be following the river at that point. I then turned the aircraft to intercept the visual approach course, continued, and landed normally. I called the tower later and asked if there was any problem, and the supervisor said none at all. I still felt, however, that the deviation warranted this report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL DEV ON RIVER VISUAL TO DCA TO AVOID VISUAL ACFT TFC BY B727.

Narrative: ATC FACILITY: DCA TWR. LOCATION: ROSSLYN LDA 18. UPON REACHING THE LDA 3.5 DME FIX AND ENTERING VMC, I CAME OFF THE GAUGES. AT THAT TIME THE FE NOTED HELI TFC TO THE L OVER THE RIVER. RATHER THAN TURN IMMEDIATELY L TO INTERCEPT THE RIVER VISUAL APCH COURSE, I STAYED ON THE LDA HDG FOR APPROX ANOTHER 1 - 1 1/2 MI. THE FO THEN MENTIONED THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING THE RIVER AT THAT POINT. I THEN TURNED THE ACFT TO INTERCEPT THE VISUAL APCH COURSE, CONTINUED, AND LANDED NORMALLY. I CALLED THE TWR LATER AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY PROB, AND THE SUPVR SAID NONE AT ALL. I STILL FELT, HOWEVER, THAT THE DEV WARRANTED THIS RPT.

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.