 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B757-200 first officer reports low altitude alert received from ATC during night visual approach to runway 11L at tus.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 810618 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tus.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : tus.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 104 flight time total : 9243 flight time type : 2250 |
| ASRS Report | 810618 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other spatial deviation non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : msaw |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Navigational Facility |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On a northeast arrival to tus while on vectors; we were given a descent to 7000 ft followed by a further descent to 5000 ft. When we called the airport in sight we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 11L and told to switch to tower. The ILS was OTS; but for situational awareness we had loaded the approach in the FMC; extended from the OM pocib and also put calls on the fix page. At 5000 ft we initiated the turn to final; half way between pocib and calls and approximately 2.5 NM east of the extended centerline at about 180 KIAS. The captain (PNF) then selected 4600 ft in the altitude window and while in the turn approaching 4900 ft; the tower abruptly sounded a low altitude alert and stated that MVA in our area was 5300 ft. I was startled and I immediately disconnected the autoplt and climbed back up to 5000 ft. While continuing the left turn and now slightly nose high; I also momentarily lost sight of the runway; overshot and rolled out pointing slightly left of centerline. The captain informed the tower that we had been cleared for a visual approach; to which the controller did not respond. After determining that we now were high on the PAPI; we resumed our descent towards the runway and landed. In hindsight looking at the approach plate; I believe what may have caused the problem is the location of a 4260 ft antenna just west of the approach path where we initiated our turn to final. I had not noticed the location of the antenna while briefing the approach. I am also guessing that with us being at approximately 180 KIAS and headed directly towards the antenna may have triggered an alarm in the tower to which the controller had to respond. It would have been nice; however; if the controller had given us a clear of conflict call because neither the captain nor myself at that point understood why we received the abrupt; disruptive and alarming call from the tower. It had been over 1 yr since I had flown into tucson and the lesson I learned is to always slow things down earlier; because that will give me more time to deal with unexpected circumstances if and when they occur.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757-200 FIRST OFFICER REPORTS LOW ALTITUDE ALERT RECEIVED FROM ATC DURING NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 11L AT TUS.
Narrative: ON A NE ARR TO TUS WHILE ON VECTORS; WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 7000 FT FOLLOWED BY A FURTHER DSCNT TO 5000 FT. WHEN WE CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 11L AND TOLD TO SWITCH TO TWR. THE ILS WAS OTS; BUT FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WE HAD LOADED THE APCH IN THE FMC; EXTENDED FROM THE OM POCIB AND ALSO PUT CALLS ON THE FIX PAGE. AT 5000 FT WE INITIATED THE TURN TO FINAL; HALF WAY BTWN POCIB AND CALLS AND APPROX 2.5 NM E OF THE EXTENDED CTRLINE AT ABOUT 180 KIAS. THE CAPT (PNF) THEN SELECTED 4600 FT IN THE ALT WINDOW AND WHILE IN THE TURN APCHING 4900 FT; THE TWR ABRUPTLY SOUNDED A LOW ALT ALERT AND STATED THAT MVA IN OUR AREA WAS 5300 FT. I WAS STARTLED AND I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND CLBED BACK UP TO 5000 FT. WHILE CONTINUING THE L TURN AND NOW SLIGHTLY NOSE HIGH; I ALSO MOMENTARILY LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY; OVERSHOT AND ROLLED OUT POINTING SLIGHTLY L OF CTRLINE. THE CAPT INFORMED THE TWR THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH; TO WHICH THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND. AFTER DETERMINING THAT WE NOW WERE HIGH ON THE PAPI; WE RESUMED OUR DSCNT TOWARDS THE RWY AND LANDED. IN HINDSIGHT LOOKING AT THE APCH PLATE; I BELIEVE WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROB IS THE LOCATION OF A 4260 FT ANTENNA JUST W OF THE APCH PATH WHERE WE INITIATED OUR TURN TO FINAL. I HAD NOT NOTICED THE LOCATION OF THE ANTENNA WHILE BRIEFING THE APCH. I AM ALSO GUESSING THAT WITH US BEING AT APPROX 180 KIAS AND HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE ANTENNA MAY HAVE TRIGGERED AN ALARM IN THE TWR TO WHICH THE CTLR HAD TO RESPOND. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE; HOWEVER; IF THE CTLR HAD GIVEN US A CLR OF CONFLICT CALL BECAUSE NEITHER THE CAPT NOR MYSELF AT THAT POINT UNDERSTOOD WHY WE RECEIVED THE ABRUPT; DISRUPTIVE AND ALARMING CALL FROM THE TWR. IT HAD BEEN OVER 1 YR SINCE I HAD FLOWN INTO TUCSON AND THE LESSON I LEARNED IS TO ALWAYS SLOW THINGS DOWN EARLIER; BECAUSE THAT WILL GIVE ME MORE TIME TO DEAL WITH UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES IF AND WHEN THEY OCCUR.
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.