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An experienced private pilot who appeared to have little instrument experience, improperly shot the localizer approach at cxy and set off the controller's low altitude warning.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 449544 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199909 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mdt.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Super Skywagon/Super Skylane |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 0b |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 61 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 449544 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : msaw other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Navigational Facility |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
It was hard IMC from ldj to capital city airport (cxy) at harrisburg, PA. I was at 6000 ft MSL (south of the approach route) and beginning to be concerned about the descent because of proximity, when the approach controller told me that because of the closeness, he would bring me down through the localizer and then back in to the localizer from the left. Coming back to the localizer, it did not seem to be ctring (and just as it was ctring, but before I could inform the controller), the controller canceled the approach, told me to climb back to 3000 ft, and gave me vectors to do it again, with which I complied. On the approach the second time, I advised the controller that I was not acquiring the GS. I then heard another pilot telling the controller the same thing. I did not feel uncomfortable or stressed, but I did say to the controller that I could use all the help I could get. At that point, other pilot said that, from the OM, he descended at 600 FPM and broke out about 1100 ft or 1200 ft. The controller then said, 'this channel is for traffic control,' in effort chastising the other pilot. In my opinion, under the circumstances, the other pilot contributed substantially to my safety. After breaking into VFR at about 1250 ft and looking for the runway, I was told 'low altitude alert.' I was then at about 1100 ft, which is below the 1160 ft minimum for IFR. I'm not sure the controller knew I was out of the clouds at that moment. I acknowledged and climbed to between 1200-1300 ft to keep him happy. The runway quickly appeared, and I landed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN EXPERIENCED PVT PLT WHO APPEARED TO HAVE LITTLE INST EXPERIENCE, IMPROPERLY SHOT THE LOC APCH AT CXY AND SET OFF THE CTLR'S LOW ALT WARNING.
Narrative: IT WAS HARD IMC FROM LDJ TO CAPITAL CITY ARPT (CXY) AT HARRISBURG, PA. I WAS AT 6000 FT MSL (S OF THE APCH RTE) AND BEGINNING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DSCNT BECAUSE OF PROX, WHEN THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE CLOSENESS, HE WOULD BRING ME DOWN THROUGH THE LOC AND THEN BACK IN TO THE LOC FROM THE L. COMING BACK TO THE LOC, IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE CTRING (AND JUST AS IT WAS CTRING, BUT BEFORE I COULD INFORM THE CTLR), THE CTLR CANCELED THE APCH, TOLD ME TO CLB BACK TO 3000 FT, AND GAVE ME VECTORS TO DO IT AGAIN, WITH WHICH I COMPLIED. ON THE APCH THE SECOND TIME, I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I WAS NOT ACQUIRING THE GS. I THEN HEARD ANOTHER PLT TELLING THE CTLR THE SAME THING. I DID NOT FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE OR STRESSED, BUT I DID SAY TO THE CTLR THAT I COULD USE ALL THE HELP I COULD GET. AT THAT POINT, OTHER PLT SAID THAT, FROM THE OM, HE DSNDED AT 600 FPM AND BROKE OUT ABOUT 1100 FT OR 1200 FT. THE CTLR THEN SAID, 'THIS CHANNEL IS FOR TFC CTL,' IN EFFORT CHASTISING THE OTHER PLT. IN MY OPINION, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE OTHER PLT CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO MY SAFETY. AFTER BREAKING INTO VFR AT ABOUT 1250 FT AND LOOKING FOR THE RWY, I WAS TOLD 'LOW ALT ALERT.' I WAS THEN AT ABOUT 1100 FT, WHICH IS BELOW THE 1160 FT MINIMUM FOR IFR. I'M NOT SURE THE CTLR KNEW I WAS OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT THAT MOMENT. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND CLBED TO BTWN 1200-1300 FT TO KEEP HIM HAPPY. THE RWY QUICKLY APPEARED, AND I LANDED.
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.