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Approach controller reluctant to issue an instrument approach, rather than a visual approach, clearance to the flight crew of an air carrier embraer 120. It was at night and they only had the airport rotating beacon in sight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 454181 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : roc.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : roc.tracon tracon : p31.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 119 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 454181 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
ATC became verbally combative when we would not accept a visual approach to the airport. A verbal contact ensued between myself and the controller which should not have been engaged in. A simple vector to intercept the localizer would have settled the problem. We were finally given the ILS and landed safety and on time. It became evident to myself and the first officer that the approach controller was preoccupied with something which was causing him to try to expedite our arrival. I did engage in the verbal contest which I should have ended sooner than I did. I had to stop the bickering by requesting we finish the disagreement after we had landed and at the gate so that safety would not be compromised. It is my opinion that if in visual conditions that having the airport rotating beacon is not adequate reference to be cleared for a visual approach and this is why I would not accept the approach until I could properly verify the landing runway either visually or by NAVAID means.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR RELUCTANT TO ISSUE AN INST APCH, RATHER THAN A VISUAL APCH, CLRNC TO THE FLC OF AN ACR EMBRAER 120. IT WAS AT NIGHT AND THEY ONLY HAD THE ARPT ROTATING BEACON IN SIGHT.
Narrative: ATC BECAME VERBALLY COMBATIVE WHEN WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT A VISUAL APCH TO THE ARPT. A VERBAL CONTACT ENSUED BTWN MYSELF AND THE CTLR WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN. A SIMPLE VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE LOC WOULD HAVE SETTLED THE PROB. WE WERE FINALLY GIVEN THE ILS AND LANDED SAFETY AND ON TIME. IT BECAME EVIDENT TO MYSELF AND THE FO THAT THE APCH CTLR WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH SOMETHING WHICH WAS CAUSING HIM TO TRY TO EXPEDITE OUR ARR. I DID ENGAGE IN THE VERBAL CONTEST WHICH I SHOULD HAVE ENDED SOONER THAN I DID. I HAD TO STOP THE BICKERING BY REQUESTING WE FINISH THE DISAGREEMENT AFTER WE HAD LANDED AND AT THE GATE SO THAT SAFETY WOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED. IT IS MY OPINION THAT IF IN VISUAL CONDITIONS THAT HAVING THE ARPT ROTATING BEACON IS NOT ADEQUATE REF TO BE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND THIS IS WHY I WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE APCH UNTIL I COULD PROPERLY VERIFY THE LNDG RWY EITHER VISUALLY OR BY NAVAID MEANS.
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.