Narrative:

This is in regard to a procedure at tampa approach control that takes aircraft on a visual approach to runway 36L or 36R close to mcdill AFB; which is 8 NM south of tampa international (tpa). There is no charted visual approach procedure to tampa international which ensures separation with the traffic pattern at mcf. Controllers are required to keep tpa arrs at 2600 ft until 'northwest of runway 4/22 at mcf.' while working final approach at tpa I restr an A320 to 2600 ft until established on the final approach course for runway 36L at tpa; as recommended by my first line supervisor; but the aircraft descended out of 2600 ft while still on a base turn. I reported the incident to the front line manager on duty (not mine); and he said the approach by the aircraft 'looks ok to me.' when I mentioned the incident to my flm (front line manager); they pulled the data to re-look it; and subsequently I was called into the office with both front line mgrs; where I was told by the second flm that I had issued an illegal approach; and threatened to be decertified and retrained. He also said I was harassing the pilot when I reissued the altitude restr after the pilot descended. I believe there should be a charted visual approach to tpa runways 36L and 36R; not only to ensure separation from mcf; but also to stop the threatening comments from front line mgrs; just one of the litany of problems controllers are now enduring.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TPA CTLR WAS QUESTIONED BY MGMNT REGARDING VISUAL APCH CLRNC ISSUED AND POSSIBLE OPDEV; SUGGESTING CHARTED VISUAL APCH PROC AS SOLUTION.

Narrative: THIS IS IN REGARD TO A PROC AT TAMPA APCH CTL THAT TAKES ACFT ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36L OR 36R CLOSE TO MCDILL AFB; WHICH IS 8 NM S OF TAMPA INTL (TPA). THERE IS NO CHARTED VISUAL APCH PROC TO TAMPA INTL WHICH ENSURES SEPARATION WITH THE TFC PATTERN AT MCF. CTLRS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP TPA ARRS AT 2600 FT UNTIL 'NW OF RWY 4/22 AT MCF.' WHILE WORKING FINAL APCH AT TPA I RESTR AN A320 TO 2600 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 36L AT TPA; AS RECOMMENDED BY MY FIRST LINE SUPVR; BUT THE ACFT DSNDED OUT OF 2600 FT WHILE STILL ON A BASE TURN. I RPTED THE INCIDENT TO THE FRONT LINE MGR ON DUTY (NOT MINE); AND HE SAID THE APCH BY THE ACFT 'LOOKS OK TO ME.' WHEN I MENTIONED THE INCIDENT TO MY FLM (FRONT LINE MGR); THEY PULLED THE DATA TO RE-LOOK IT; AND SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS CALLED INTO THE OFFICE WITH BOTH FRONT LINE MGRS; WHERE I WAS TOLD BY THE SECOND FLM THAT I HAD ISSUED AN ILLEGAL APCH; AND THREATENED TO BE DECERTIFIED AND RETRAINED. HE ALSO SAID I WAS HARASSING THE PLT WHEN I REISSUED THE ALT RESTR AFTER THE PLT DSNDED. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A CHARTED VISUAL APCH TO TPA RWYS 36L AND 36R; NOT ONLY TO ENSURE SEPARATION FROM MCF; BUT ALSO TO STOP THE THREATENING COMMENTS FROM FRONT LINE MGRS; JUST ONE OF THE LITANY OF PROBS CTLRS ARE NOW ENDURING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.