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B757-200 crew tried to fly a VNAV approach for runway 30L at sjc. They had an altitude overshoot when they went to flch.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 544678 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4300 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : o90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision arrival : vfr arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 544678 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
VNAV versus flight level change. Cleared for VOR DME runway 30L approach after vectors. Started descent on VNAV and intended to try and fly approach on VNAV. Quickly discerned that VNAV would not make the 16.8 DME at 4300 ft from 8000 ft so deployed speed brakes. Bottom altitude of 1700 ft was in MCP window for VNAV procedures. Selected flight level change to get down and was distracted or concentrating on descent and went through the 4300 ft 16.8 DME leveloff point. VFR flight conditions at the time and runway/airport in sight so asked first officer to request VFR approach to sjc runway 30R. ATC cleared us for VFR approach and no comment on missed altitude at descent point, no traffic conflicts. Autoplt turned off and hand flew to landing on altitudes. Generally under VFR conditions and ILS approachs to sjc ATC will offer VFR approachs. But with runway 30L closed and the sidestep maneuver in place with the PAPI in place the approach parameters set you up to fly a simulator type of profile to minimums which in VFR isn't necessarily prudent. It is difficult to pick up the PAPI/VASI from the far distance and to go to minimums on all altitudes in VFR sort of challenging at best and especially disconcerting to skim the san jose skyscraper tops on final at 700 ft. The error on missing the altitude was my fault for not using similar type non-precision profile procedures, which I briefed but at the last min tried the VNAV method. Should have stayed with book procedure on setting the next altitude, etc.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757-200 CREW TRIED TO FLY A VNAV APCH FOR RWY 30L AT SJC. THEY HAD AN ALT OVERSHOOT WHEN THEY WENT TO FLCH.
Narrative: VNAV VERSUS FLT LEVEL CHANGE. CLRED FOR VOR DME RWY 30L APCH AFTER VECTORS. STARTED DSCNT ON VNAV AND INTENDED TO TRY AND FLY APCH ON VNAV. QUICKLY DISCERNED THAT VNAV WOULD NOT MAKE THE 16.8 DME AT 4300 FT FROM 8000 FT SO DEPLOYED SPD BRAKES. BOTTOM ALT OF 1700 FT WAS IN MCP WINDOW FOR VNAV PROCS. SELECTED FLT LEVEL CHANGE TO GET DOWN AND WAS DISTRACTED OR CONCENTRATING ON DSCNT AND WENT THROUGH THE 4300 FT 16.8 DME LEVELOFF POINT. VFR FLT CONDITIONS AT THE TIME AND RWY/ARPT IN SIGHT SO ASKED FO TO REQUEST VFR APCH TO SJC RWY 30R. ATC CLRED US FOR VFR APCH AND NO COMMENT ON MISSED ALT AT DSCNT POINT, NO TFC CONFLICTS. AUTOPLT TURNED OFF AND HAND FLEW TO LNDG ON ALTS. GENERALLY UNDER VFR CONDITIONS AND ILS APCHS TO SJC ATC WILL OFFER VFR APCHS. BUT WITH RWY 30L CLOSED AND THE SIDESTEP MANEUVER IN PLACE WITH THE PAPI IN PLACE THE APCH PARAMETERS SET YOU UP TO FLY A SIMULATOR TYPE OF PROFILE TO MINIMUMS WHICH IN VFR ISN'T NECESSARILY PRUDENT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO PICK UP THE PAPI/VASI FROM THE FAR DISTANCE AND TO GO TO MINIMUMS ON ALL ALTS IN VFR SORT OF CHALLENGING AT BEST AND ESPECIALLY DISCONCERTING TO SKIM THE SAN JOSE SKYSCRAPER TOPS ON FINAL AT 700 FT. THE ERROR ON MISSING THE ALT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT USING SIMILAR TYPE NON-PRECISION PROFILE PROCS, WHICH I BRIEFED BUT AT THE LAST MIN TRIED THE VNAV METHOD. SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH BOOK PROC ON SETTING THE NEXT ALT, ETC.
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.