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A C90's autoplt turned the wrong direction on a localizer back course approach. The pilot was given an incorrect descent altitude by the first officer after the pilot began flying manually following the autoplt malfunction.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 782528 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | King Air C90 E90 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach ground : maintenance |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 782528 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While being vectored and after being cleared for a localizer back course approach to runway 22; autoplt was coupled and when back course localizer was captured; aircraft started a turn in the wrong direction. I disengaged the autoplt and began to hand fly the approach. I then asked my first officer to confirm the altitude that I was to be at for that segment of the approach; and his response was 500 ft; which was the MDA. I was trying to figure out why autoplt had turned aircraft in the wrong direction and was trusting him to be correct; and he wasn't. I started to descend to the MDA and broke out around 1200 ft MSL. At around 800 ft; we figured out that we had started down too early (about 2 mi too early). I learned a valuable lesson that day; after 34 yrs of flying. Trust your first officer but always back him up also.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C90'S AUTOPLT TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION ON A LOC BC APCH. THE PILOT WAS GIVEN AN INCORRECT DESCENT ALT BY THE FO AFTER THE PILOT BEGAN FLYING MANUALLY FOLLOWING THE AUTOPLT MALFUNCTION.
Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED AND AFTER BEING CLRED FOR A LOC BACK COURSE APCH TO RWY 22; AUTOPLT WAS COUPLED AND WHEN BACK COURSE LOC WAS CAPTURED; ACFT STARTED A TURN IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN TO HAND FLY THE APCH. I THEN ASKED MY FO TO CONFIRM THE ALT THAT I WAS TO BE AT FOR THAT SEGMENT OF THE APCH; AND HIS RESPONSE WAS 500 FT; WHICH WAS THE MDA. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY AUTOPLT HAD TURNED ACFT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND WAS TRUSTING HIM TO BE CORRECT; AND HE WASN'T. I STARTED TO DSND TO THE MDA AND BROKE OUT AROUND 1200 FT MSL. AT AROUND 800 FT; WE FIGURED OUT THAT WE HAD STARTED DOWN TOO EARLY (ABOUT 2 MI TOO EARLY). I LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON THAT DAY; AFTER 34 YRS OF FLYING. TRUST YOUR FO BUT ALWAYS BACK HIM UP ALSO.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.