Narrative:

Pilot experienced loss of orientation during instrument procedure due to early transition from instrument reference to visual reference. During a localizer approach to tampa international airport in mixed IFR and VFR conditions, the aircraft was cleared for an approach to runway 36R following several vectors from ATC. Visual contact was made with the runway environment and pilot transitioned to a visual approach. The runway environment was mcdill airforce base rather than tampa international. ATC interpreted the action as a failure to maintain proper altitude and corrected the situation with a vector to reintercept the localizer and directions to climb. Once orientation and transition back to instrument reliance was established the approach was conducted without further incident. The events leading to the situation were caused by 3 factors: mixed IFR and VFR conditions allowing pilot to rely on visual references, request by ATC for pilot to maintain visual contact with an aircraft on approach to runway 36L, and distraction of the pilot by passenger interference. Premature transition from instrument reference to visual reference caused pilot to lose situational reference of position during instrument approach procedure. While in visual reference mode visual contact with runway environment made instrument reliance very difficult. The corrective action is to participate in a pilot proficiency program and conduct simulator-based training. ATC request to maintain visual reference during critical final approach intercept should be avoided. The vectors placed the aircraft on an intercept course with an aircraft on approach to a parallel runway, which lead ATC to ask for pilot to maintain visual separation. This required heads up action by the pilot at a time when heads down and instrument orientation should have been maintained. Corrective action would be to conduct training of ATC operators to understand pilot transition from instrument to visual references and its affect. Passenger distracted pilot asking question why we were on a fairly close intercept path with an oncoming B737. Pilot described situation adding further complexity to the transition from visual reference back to instrument orientation. Corrective action is to isolate pilot intercom during critical flight operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN M20F PLT ATTEMPTS TO FLY A WRONG RWY APCH ALONG WITH A WRONG ARPT APCH AFTER ATC ASKS PLT TO FLY A VISUAL ON PRECEDING TFC INTO TPA, FL.

Narrative: PLT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ORIENTATION DURING INST PROC DUE TO EARLY TRANSITION FROM INST REF TO VISUAL REF. DURING A LOC APCH TO TAMPA INTL ARPT IN MIXED IFR AND VFR CONDITIONS, THE ACFT WAS CLRED FOR AN APCH TO RWY 36R FOLLOWING SEVERAL VECTORS FROM ATC. VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AND PLT TRANSITIONED TO A VISUAL APCH. THE RWY ENVIRONMENT WAS MCDILL AIRFORCE BASE RATHER THAN TAMPA INTL. ATC INTERPRETED THE ACTION AS A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALT AND CORRECTED THE SIT WITH A VECTOR TO REINTERCEPT THE LOC AND DIRECTIONS TO CLB. ONCE ORIENTATION AND TRANSITION BACK TO INST RELIANCE WAS ESTABLISHED THE APCH WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE SIT WERE CAUSED BY 3 FACTORS: MIXED IFR AND VFR CONDITIONS ALLOWING PLT TO RELY ON VISUAL REFS, REQUEST BY ATC FOR PLT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH AN ACFT ON APCH TO RWY 36L, AND DISTR OF THE PLT BY PAX INTERFERENCE. PREMATURE TRANSITION FROM INST REF TO VISUAL REF CAUSED PLT TO LOSE SITUATIONAL REF OF POS DURING INST APCH PROC. WHILE IN VISUAL REF MODE VISUAL CONTACT WITH RWY ENVIRONMENT MADE INST RELIANCE VERY DIFFICULT. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO PARTICIPATE IN A PLT PROFICIENCY PROGRAM AND CONDUCT SIMULATOR-BASED TRAINING. ATC REQUEST TO MAINTAIN VISUAL REF DURING CRITICAL FINAL APCH INTERCEPT SHOULD BE AVOIDED. THE VECTORS PLACED THE ACFT ON AN INTERCEPT COURSE WITH AN ACFT ON APCH TO A PARALLEL RWY, WHICH LEAD ATC TO ASK FOR PLT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. THIS REQUIRED HEADS UP ACTION BY THE PLT AT A TIME WHEN HEADS DOWN AND INST ORIENTATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED. CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE TO CONDUCT TRAINING OF ATC OPERATORS TO UNDERSTAND PLT TRANSITION FROM INST TO VISUAL REFS AND ITS AFFECT. PAX DISTRACTED PLT ASKING QUESTION WHY WE WERE ON A FAIRLY CLOSE INTERCEPT PATH WITH AN ONCOMING B737. PLT DESCRIBED SIT ADDING FURTHER COMPLEXITY TO THE TRANSITION FROM VISUAL REF BACK TO INST ORIENTATION. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO ISOLATE PLT INTERCOM DURING CRITICAL FLT OPS.

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.