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Practice VOR approach. One VOR out of service, but pilot continued approach, even though unable to identify fixes. Descended too low too soon.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 148053 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199006 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gvo |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sba |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : straight in |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 162 flight time type : 85 |
| ASRS Report | 148053 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
Our aircraft was cleared for a runway 25 VOR approach. We were on an IFR flight plan in good VFR WX. I had an instrument rated safety pilot with me. On the approach, we realized that the san maros VOR was OTS and we decided to continue the approach. However, we were unable to determine any of the fixes (FAF, etc) and began to descend on our own judgement. Since I was under the hood and had no idea about my distance from the airport, I descended too soon. The controller warned us when we descended too low. This situation could have been disastrous in low visibility because we would perhaps have hit a ridge of hills before the airport. I should not have continued the approach west/O the san maros VOR. My safety pilot was not paying particularly close attention, either. Luckily a controller was. This just showed us that having a safety pilot does not necessarily mean that the PIC under the hood doesn't have to pay close attention.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PRACTICE VOR APCH. ONE VOR OUT OF SERVICE, BUT PLT CONTINUED APCH, EVEN THOUGH UNABLE TO IDENTIFY FIXES. DESCENDED TOO LOW TOO SOON.
Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS CLRED FOR A RWY 25 VOR APCH. WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN GOOD VFR WX. I HAD AN INST RATED SAFETY PLT WITH ME. ON THE APCH, WE REALIZED THAT THE SAN MAROS VOR WAS OTS AND WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE APCH. HOWEVER, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE ANY OF THE FIXES (FAF, ETC) AND BEGAN TO DSND ON OUR OWN JUDGEMENT. SINCE I WAS UNDER THE HOOD AND HAD NO IDEA ABOUT MY DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT, I DSNDED TOO SOON. THE CTLR WARNED US WHEN WE DSNDED TOO LOW. THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS IN LOW VISIBILITY BECAUSE WE WOULD PERHAPS HAVE HIT A RIDGE OF HILLS BEFORE THE ARPT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE CONTINUED THE APCH W/O THE SAN MAROS VOR. MY SAFETY PLT WAS NOT PAYING PARTICULARLY CLOSE ATTN, EITHER. LUCKILY A CTLR WAS. THIS JUST SHOWED US THAT HAVING A SAFETY PLT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE PIC UNDER THE HOOD DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTN.
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.