A B757 flight crew becomes disoriented on an instrument approach into sav.

Attributes
ACN	587777
Time
Date	200307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : svn.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sav.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 28 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	587777
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were descending for landing under the control of ATC. He had cleared us down to 2000 MSL for what we thought would be a vector to intercept the ILS final approach course. We were below the transition altitude from the VOR to the beginning of the published approach. Suddenly, the controller cleared us for the approach. In my haste to 'commence the approach,' I mistook the hold for the missed approach as the course reversal for this ILS. The captain said no, it was the missed approach hold. We had intermittent ground contact and could see the airport at times. We flew a downwind and turned ourselves onto an intercept for the ILS. We captured the localizer and GS and landed without incident. My biggest concern is that we were flying around 'on our own' below the 2600 ft MSA and the 25000 ft transition altitude. When the controller cleared us to 2000 ft MSL, we expected to be vectored onto the approach. Contributing factors: over 8 hours of night flight, including a north atlantic crossing and my low time in the airplane and lack of experience with the FMS. I had briefed the approach, but feel the controller abandoned us on this approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW BECOMES DISORIENTED ON AN INST APCH INTO SAV.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING FOR LNDG UNDER THE CTL OF ATC. HE HAD CLRED US DOWN TO 2000 MSL FOR WHAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FINAL APCH COURSE. WE WERE BELOW THE TRANSITION ALT FROM THE VOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PUBLISHED APCH. SUDDENLY, THE CTLR CLRED US FOR THE APCH. IN MY HASTE TO 'COMMENCE THE APCH,' I MISTOOK THE HOLD FOR THE MISSED APCH AS THE COURSE REVERSAL FOR THIS ILS. THE CAPT SAID NO, IT WAS THE MISSED APCH HOLD. WE HAD INTERMITTENT GND CONTACT AND COULD SEE THE ARPT AT TIMES. WE FLEW A DOWNWIND AND TURNED OURSELVES ONTO AN INTERCEPT FOR THE ILS. WE CAPTURED THE LOC AND GS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT WE WERE FLYING AROUND 'ON OUR OWN' BELOW THE 2600 FT MSA AND THE 25000 FT TRANSITION ALT. WHEN THE CTLR CLRED US TO 2000 FT MSL, WE EXPECTED TO BE VECTORED ONTO THE APCH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: OVER 8 HRS OF NIGHT FLT, INCLUDING A NORTH ATLANTIC XING AND MY LOW TIME IN THE AIRPLANE AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE FMS. I HAD BRIEFED THE APCH, BUT FEEL THE CTLR ABANDONED US ON THIS APCH.

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.