Narrative:

We were holding at bea VOR as published at 6000 ft MSL. On the inbound leg, we were cleared and descended to 4000 ft. As we approached the VOR, beatrix tower asked if we had the airport in sight. We said yes. Tower then cleared us for the 'visual approach' to runway 11. There was no mention of any altitude restr, and as all maneuvering is at the discretion of the pilot during a 'visual approach,' we turned to a 290 degree heading for a left downwind and began an immediate descent for landing. As we were passing 3000 ft, tower asked us for our altitude. We told the controller 'descending through 3000 ft.' the controller told us to climb to 4000 ft. We reversed our descent and climbing through 3200 ft, tower then cleared us to 3500 ft. As we began our base turn, tower cleared us to circling altitude. Turning final, we were cleared to land. Talking to tower the next day via telephone, I was told that in aruba, 'visual approach' is for lateral navigation only. Since when has that been in effect? Company pubs do not show any altitude restrs for a 'visual.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the PIC has been into aruba 4 times now. This event occurred on the second arrival. The airline has been operating into aruba but the captain finds the airline information procedures to be too limited regarding this issue. After the incident, the reporter asked for a review with ATC supervisor at tnca for clarification of the clearance confusion. The facility chief said that they had gone through ICAO with their interpretation of what a visual approach should require for traffic control. Their procedure is for lateral clearance only with an altitude restr being imposed within the clearance. ICAO concurred. (Initiated since there is no radar at tnca?) ICAO rules stipulate within pans-rac (doc 4444) paragraph 9.2 under visual approach: 'separation shall be provided between an aircraft cleared to execute a visual approach and other arriving and departing aircraft.' an altitude restr is the only way to ensure this in a non radar environment. The facility chief assured the reporter that all restrs would be issued and if none are, then the descent at pilot's discretion is authority/authorized. The airline and ICAO are issuing complete instructions to flcs regarding this procedure. ICAO is using the aeronautical information publication for this information dissemination procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 FLC IS CHASTISED BY TWR CTLR WORKING AS APCH CTLR ON A NON RADAR APCH PROC FOR LEAVING THE LAST ASSIGNED ALT AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH NW OF ARUBA'S BEATRIX ARPT AT TNCA, FO.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING AT BEA VOR AS PUBLISHED AT 6000 FT MSL. ON THE INBOUND LEG, WE WERE CLRED AND DSNDED TO 4000 FT. AS WE APCHED THE VOR, BEATRIX TWR ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE SAID YES. TWR THEN CLRED US FOR THE 'VISUAL APCH' TO RWY 11. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY ALT RESTR, AND AS ALL MANEUVERING IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PLT DURING A 'VISUAL APCH,' WE TURNED TO A 290 DEG HDG FOR A L DOWNWIND AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT FOR LNDG. AS WE WERE PASSING 3000 FT, TWR ASKED US FOR OUR ALT. WE TOLD THE CTLR 'DSNDING THROUGH 3000 FT.' THE CTLR TOLD US TO CLB TO 4000 FT. WE REVERSED OUR DSCNT AND CLBING THROUGH 3200 FT, TWR THEN CLRED US TO 3500 FT. AS WE BEGAN OUR BASE TURN, TWR CLRED US TO CIRCLING ALT. TURNING FINAL, WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. TALKING TO TWR THE NEXT DAY VIA TELEPHONE, I WAS TOLD THAT IN ARUBA, 'VISUAL APCH' IS FOR LATERAL NAV ONLY. SINCE WHEN HAS THAT BEEN IN EFFECT? COMPANY PUBS DO NOT SHOW ANY ALT RESTRS FOR A 'VISUAL.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PIC HAS BEEN INTO ARUBA 4 TIMES NOW. THIS EVENT OCCURRED ON THE SECOND ARR. THE AIRLINE HAS BEEN OPERATING INTO ARUBA BUT THE CAPT FINDS THE AIRLINE INFO PROCS TO BE TOO LIMITED REGARDING THIS ISSUE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE RPTR ASKED FOR A REVIEW WITH ATC SUPVR AT TNCA FOR CLARIFICATION OF THE CLRNC CONFUSION. THE FACILITY CHIEF SAID THAT THEY HAD GONE THROUGH ICAO WITH THEIR INTERP OF WHAT A VISUAL APCH SHOULD REQUIRE FOR TFC CTL. THEIR PROC IS FOR LATERAL CLRNC ONLY WITH AN ALT RESTR BEING IMPOSED WITHIN THE CLRNC. ICAO CONCURRED. (INITIATED SINCE THERE IS NO RADAR AT TNCA?) ICAO RULES STIPULATE WITHIN PANS-RAC (DOC 4444) PARAGRAPH 9.2 UNDER VISUAL APCH: 'SEPARATION SHALL BE PROVIDED BTWN AN ACFT CLRED TO EXECUTE A VISUAL APCH AND OTHER ARRIVING AND DEPARTING ACFT.' AN ALT RESTR IS THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THIS IN A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT. THE FACILITY CHIEF ASSURED THE RPTR THAT ALL RESTRS WOULD BE ISSUED AND IF NONE ARE, THEN THE DSCNT AT PLT'S DISCRETION IS AUTH. THE AIRLINE AND ICAO ARE ISSUING COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS TO FLCS REGARDING THIS PROC. ICAO IS USING THE AERO INFO PUB FOR THIS INFO DISSEMINATION PROC.

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.