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Nmm approach controller concerned by navy training pilot policy to avoid WX while on an IFR flight plan.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 558273 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200208 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | MS |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nmm.tracon |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Military Trainer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 10 controller radar : 12 controller time certified in position1 : 1.25 |
| ASRS Report | 558273 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
A T2 was inbound to nmm from mei, 1 mi west of MOA. (The MOA altitude is 8000 ft to FL230.) the pilot was cleared from 8000 ft to 5000 ft, and then asked for lower because of clouds. I asked the pilot if she was IFR rated, and she said no. I then asked if she had an instructor pilot on board, and her reply was, 'no, I'm flying solo.' this situation had the potential of an unsafe situation. Pilots assigned to NAS meridian routinely fly on IFR flight plans, without being IFR certified. These pilots are not allowed (by the united states navy) to fly through clouds, but they fly on IFR flight plans. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: controller alleged that he has tried to resolve this issue with management. The reporter was not aware of any FAA/navy LOA describing operational training issues and procedures. Callback conversation with a navy spokesman revealed the following information: navy spokesman was aware of 'certain issues at nmm, between pilots and controllers.' the spokesman stated the existence and application of opnav-3710, specifying the relationship of training pilots to IFR flight plan filing and avoidance of ex elements. Basically, navy training pilots shall file IFR for search and rescue, as well as flying training rtes, but they shall not penetrate WX cells unless an emergency condition exists.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: NMM APCH CTLR CONCERNED BY NAVY TRAINING PLT POLICY TO AVOID WX WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN.
Narrative: A T2 WAS INBOUND TO NMM FROM MEI, 1 MI W OF MOA. (THE MOA ALT IS 8000 FT TO FL230.) THE PLT WAS CLRED FROM 8000 FT TO 5000 FT, AND THEN ASKED FOR LOWER BECAUSE OF CLOUDS. I ASKED THE PLT IF SHE WAS IFR RATED, AND SHE SAID NO. I THEN ASKED IF SHE HAD AN INSTRUCTOR PLT ON BOARD, AND HER REPLY WAS, 'NO, I'M FLYING SOLO.' THIS SIT HAD THE POTENTIAL OF AN UNSAFE SIT. PLTS ASSIGNED TO NAS MERIDIAN ROUTINELY FLY ON IFR FLT PLANS, WITHOUT BEING IFR CERTIFIED. THESE PLTS ARE NOT ALLOWED (BY THE UNITED STATES NAVY) TO FLY THROUGH CLOUDS, BUT THEY FLY ON IFR FLT PLANS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CTLR ALLEGED THAT HE HAS TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH MGMNT. THE RPTR WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY FAA/NAVY LOA DESCRIBING OPERATIONAL TRAINING ISSUES AND PROCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH A NAVY SPOKESMAN REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: NAVY SPOKESMAN WAS AWARE OF 'CERTAIN ISSUES AT NMM, BTWN PLTS AND CTLRS.' THE SPOKESMAN STATED THE EXISTENCE AND APPLICATION OF OPNAV-3710, SPECIFYING THE RELATIONSHIP OF TRAINING PLTS TO IFR FLT PLAN FILING AND AVOIDANCE OF EX ELEMENTS. BASICALLY, NAVY TRAINING PLTS SHALL FILE IFR FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE, AS WELL AS FLYING TRAINING RTES, BUT THEY SHALL NOT PENETRATE WX CELLS UNLESS AN EMER CONDITION EXISTS.
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.