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A B737-800 captain discussed his concerns about the mix of airline flts with GA at sna, especially on weekends, concluding that simultaneous approachs should not be accepted under any circumstances.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 624650 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200407 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sna.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sna.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in approach : visual approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sna.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 150 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 624650 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 200 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airport Airspace Structure FAA Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : sna.tower |
| Airport | design : sna.airport other physical facility procedure or policy : sna.airport |
Narrative:
Just a heads up, concerning what I believe to be an ongoing safety threat to our air carrier operations at sna. Very often going into sna mostly on weekends, we are mixing the traffic pattern with slow flying GA aircraft doing simultaneous VFR approachs to runways 19R and 19L. These aircraft, when encountered on short final approach, are difficult to see due to their small rear-end profile and cluttered urban background. Furthermore, the tower fails to bring them to our attention, determining they are no factor. The problem is the entire crew is so focused on the 5700 ft runway landing that the multiple TA annunciations on TCASII are ignored until we are being surprised to overtake a C150 on short final just 200 ft from our left wingtip. The runways are way too close together for this operation. In the interest of safety, I strongly suggest not accepting VFR simultaneous approachs with any other aircraft on final approach to runway 19L. I know I won't ever again at this airport, even if it means taking a delay.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-800 CAPT DISCUSSED HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE MIX OF AIRLINE FLTS WITH GA AT SNA, ESPECIALLY ON WEEKENDS, CONCLUDING THAT SIMULTANEOUS APCHS SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Narrative: JUST A HEADS UP, CONCERNING WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AN ONGOING SAFETY THREAT TO OUR ACR OPS AT SNA. VERY OFTEN GOING INTO SNA MOSTLY ON WEEKENDS, WE ARE MIXING THE TFC PATTERN WITH SLOW FLYING GA ACFT DOING SIMULTANEOUS VFR APCHS TO RWYS 19R AND 19L. THESE ACFT, WHEN ENCOUNTERED ON SHORT FINAL APCH, ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO THEIR SMALL REAR-END PROFILE AND CLUTTERED URBAN BACKGROUND. FURTHERMORE, THE TWR FAILS TO BRING THEM TO OUR ATTN, DETERMINING THEY ARE NO FACTOR. THE PROB IS THE ENTIRE CREW IS SO FOCUSED ON THE 5700 FT RWY LNDG THAT THE MULTIPLE TA ANNUNCIATIONS ON TCASII ARE IGNORED UNTIL WE ARE BEING SURPRISED TO OVERTAKE A C150 ON SHORT FINAL JUST 200 FT FROM OUR L WINGTIP. THE RWYS ARE WAY TOO CLOSE TOGETHER FOR THIS OP. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, I STRONGLY SUGGEST NOT ACCEPTING VFR SIMULTANEOUS APCHS WITH ANY OTHER ACFT ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 19L. I KNOW I WON'T EVER AGAIN AT THIS ARPT, EVEN IF IT MEANS TAKING A DELAY.
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.