Crew in an air carrier B727 making a radar surveillance approach to runway 21 at sat were issued a d...

Attributes
ACN	463893
Time
Date	200002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
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 : 16000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	463893
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : sat.tower

Narrative:

Approaching san antonio from the north and just switched over to approach control we were informed that runway 12R, the ATIS landing runway, was closed and that we would be using an ASR approach to runway 21. There is no other approach to runway 21. The WX was 1000 ft overcast with 10 mi visibility and wind at 160 degrees, 7 to 10 KTS. We briefed the approach and were vectored for it. At 10 NM from the threshold, we were cleared to the MDA -- 1280 ft, on an assigned heading. No other xmissions from approach control were received until 5 NM from the runway. We were then told that we were 'on course 6, no 5 mi from the runway.' we broke out of the clouds at about 1700 ft MSL and observed a tower (tv, radio?) at 12 O'clock and close. We were at 1500 ft. The tower is charted at 1448 ft. The first officer was the pilot flying and he turned immediately about 20 degrees to the right. We soon saw the runway, still quite a bit to the right and continued to land without incident. During the approach it was obvious that the controller was doing it all. It was night and he was approach/departure/tower and ground. It also seemed to me that the controller was only using the ASR approach to get us below the clouds so we could conduct a visual approach from that point. Somehow the tv tower just to the left of the approach course and higher than the MDA, was left out of the equation. Talking to an FAA supervisor later, I was told that the ASR to runway 21 was supposed to be a step down approach. This was only the second ASR approach I have done in over 30 years of airline experience. The other was no better. I wonder if an ASR approach is realistic these days. The controller did not follow the communication procedures as I remember them. We were left of course and drifting further left and we were told that we were on course. We were descended to an altitude that was lower than an obstacle just left of the approach course. No altitude advisories were issued and no lost communication procedures were discussed. The controller was apparently overloaded. Even though it was night, there were several aircraft in his control. How could he conduct a proper surveillance approach under those conditions? We were aware of the tower and in fact leveled off above its charted altitude. We assumed that the assigned headings would keep us clear of the obstacle, but we were cautious nonetheless.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CREW IN AN ACR B727 MAKING A RADAR SURVEILLANCE APCH TO RWY 21 AT SAT WERE ISSUED A DSCNT TO THE 1280 FT MDA 10 NM FROM THE RWY. THE FLT NEARLY COLLIDED WITH A 1448 FT RADIO TWR APPROX 5 MI FROM THE RWY.

Narrative: APCHING SAN ANTONIO FROM THE N AND JUST SWITCHED OVER TO APCH CTL WE WERE INFORMED THAT RWY 12R, THE ATIS LNDG RWY, WAS CLOSED AND THAT WE WOULD BE USING AN ASR APCH TO RWY 21. THERE IS NO OTHER APCH TO RWY 21. THE WX WAS 1000 FT OVERCAST WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY AND WIND AT 160 DEGS, 7 TO 10 KTS. WE BRIEFED THE APCH AND WERE VECTORED FOR IT. AT 10 NM FROM THE THRESHOLD, WE WERE CLRED TO THE MDA -- 1280 FT, ON AN ASSIGNED HDG. NO OTHER XMISSIONS FROM APCH CTL WERE RECEIVED UNTIL 5 NM FROM THE RWY. WE WERE THEN TOLD THAT WE WERE 'ON COURSE 6, NO 5 MI FROM THE RWY.' WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 1700 FT MSL AND OBSERVED A TWR (TV, RADIO?) AT 12 O'CLOCK AND CLOSE. WE WERE AT 1500 FT. THE TWR IS CHARTED AT 1448 FT. THE FO WAS THE PLT FLYING AND HE TURNED IMMEDIATELY ABOUT 20 DEGS TO THE R. WE SOON SAW THE RWY, STILL QUITE A BIT TO THE R AND CONTINUED TO LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING THE APCH IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR WAS DOING IT ALL. IT WAS NIGHT AND HE WAS APCH/DEP/TWR AND GND. IT ALSO SEEMED TO ME THAT THE CTLR WAS ONLY USING THE ASR APCH TO GET US BELOW THE CLOUDS SO WE COULD CONDUCT A VISUAL APCH FROM THAT POINT. SOMEHOW THE TV TWR JUST TO THE L OF THE APCH COURSE AND HIGHER THAN THE MDA, WAS LEFT OUT OF THE EQUATION. TALKING TO AN FAA SUPVR LATER, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ASR TO RWY 21 WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A STEP DOWN APCH. THIS WAS ONLY THE SECOND ASR APCH I HAVE DONE IN OVER 30 YEARS OF AIRLINE EXPERIENCE. THE OTHER WAS NO BETTER. I WONDER IF AN ASR APCH IS REALISTIC THESE DAYS. THE CTLR DID NOT FOLLOW THE COM PROCS AS I REMEMBER THEM. WE WERE L OF COURSE AND DRIFTING FURTHER L AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE ON COURSE. WE WERE DESCENDED TO AN ALT THAT WAS LOWER THAN AN OBSTACLE JUST L OF THE APCH COURSE. NO ALT ADVISORIES WERE ISSUED AND NO LOST COM PROCS WERE DISCUSSED. THE CTLR WAS APPARENTLY OVERLOADED. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NIGHT, THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT IN HIS CTL. HOW COULD HE CONDUCT A PROPER SURVEILLANCE APCH UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS? WE WERE AWARE OF THE TWR AND IN FACT LEVELED OFF ABOVE ITS CHARTED ALT. WE ASSUMED THAT THE ASSIGNED HDGS WOULD KEEP US CLR OF THE OBSTACLE, BUT WE WERE CAUTIOUS NONETHELESS.

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.

Crew in an air carrier B727 making a radar surveillance approach to runway 21 at sat were issued a descent to the 1280 ft MDA 10 NM from the runway. The flight nearly collided with a 1448 ft radio tower approximately 5 mi from the runway.