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Captain of a B737 complains to approach controller that his TCASII shows only 2 mi separation with a widebody transport aircraft on final to the same runway during a visual approach. Controller advises captain that he is responsible for adequate separation during the visual approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 454420 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl.airport |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : atl.tower tower : row.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 8l other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : atl.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Heavy Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 8l |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 454420 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Cleared for a visual approach to runway 8L with a speed assigned to the LOM resulting to 2 NM spacing behind a heavy (TCASII indication). Requested inside runway 8R but denied. Requested s-turns north but tower controller responded we were 3 NM apart. I informed tower we would write up our TCASII because it showed us at 2 NM. At this point tower reminded us we were on a visual approach. So if spacing was my responsibility we s-turned to increase spacing to 2.5 NM. Atl is too busy and traffic control is under too much pressure to keep capacity up. Spacing of 2 NM behind a heavy is not enough and someone has to say no. In this case it was us. The solution to this is way above my 'pay grade' but I will still try to fly as safe as possible regardless of capacity concerns.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF A B737 COMPLAINS TO APCH CTLR THAT HIS TCASII SHOWS ONLY 2 MI SEPARATION WITH A WDB ACFT ON FINAL TO THE SAME RWY DURING A VISUAL APCH. CTLR ADVISES CAPT THAT HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADEQUATE SEPARATION DURING THE VISUAL APCH.
Narrative: CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L WITH A SPD ASSIGNED TO THE LOM RESULTING TO 2 NM SPACING BEHIND A HVY (TCASII INDICATION). REQUESTED INSIDE RWY 8R BUT DENIED. REQUESTED S-TURNS N BUT TWR CTLR RESPONDED WE WERE 3 NM APART. I INFORMED TWR WE WOULD WRITE UP OUR TCASII BECAUSE IT SHOWED US AT 2 NM. AT THIS POINT TWR REMINDED US WE WERE ON A VISUAL APCH. SO IF SPACING WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY WE S-TURNED TO INCREASE SPACING TO 2.5 NM. ATL IS TOO BUSY AND TFC CTL IS UNDER TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO KEEP CAPACITY UP. SPACING OF 2 NM BEHIND A HVY IS NOT ENOUGH AND SOMEONE HAS TO SAY NO. IN THIS CASE IT WAS US. THE SOLUTION TO THIS IS WAY ABOVE MY 'PAY GRADE' BUT I WILL STILL TRY TO FLY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE REGARDLESS OF CAPACITY CONCERNS.
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.