Narrative:

I was on a training flight to grand canyon airport along with a safety pilot, who is also a CFI. Before entering the grand canyon airport air traffic area, we contacted the tower, which gave us approval for a VOR runway 3 VFR practice approach. The runway in use at the time was runway 21. After reporting the procedure turn inbound, the tower requested us to report 3 mi out. My safety pilot, who was handling all radio communications while I was flying the approach, acknowledged the request. Concentrating on the approach myself, I continued to the map, at which point I took off the hood and looked outside. At this point, we were directly above runway 21 departure end at MDA, with an aircraft taking off below. Tower asked for our position and we acknowledged that we were at the map. This incident was the result of failure of safety pilot to report 3 mi out as requested by tower (forgetfulness) and failure of pilot to monitor overall situation and take appropriate action. Lessons learned. PIC should not completely depend on his safety pilot. He should not concentrate so much on flying the approach that he misses pertinent communications. A 'VFR practice approach' is not authority/authorized to complete the published procedures, it is contingent on ATC and current traffic situation. The PIC is just that, if he perceives a situation in which he believes the safety of the aircraft is being compromised, he has an obligation to correct the situation to the best of his ability.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ON PRACTICE APCH TO GCN FAILS TO REPORT 3 MI OUT AS REQUESTED.

Narrative: I WAS ON A TRNING FLT TO GRAND CANYON ARPT ALONG WITH A SAFETY PLT, WHO IS ALSO A CFI. BEFORE ENTERING THE GRAND CANYON ARPT ATA, WE CONTACTED THE TWR, WHICH GAVE US APPROVAL FOR A VOR RWY 3 VFR PRACTICE APCH. THE RWY IN USE AT THE TIME WAS RWY 21. AFTER RPTING THE PROC TURN INBND, THE TWR REQUESTED US TO RPT 3 MI OUT. MY SAFETY PLT, WHO WAS HANDLING ALL RADIO COMS WHILE I WAS FLYING THE APCH, ACKNOWLEDGED THE REQUEST. CONCENTRATING ON THE APCH MYSELF, I CONTINUED TO THE MAP, AT WHICH POINT I TOOK OFF THE HOOD AND LOOKED OUTSIDE. AT THIS POINT, WE WERE DIRECTLY ABOVE RWY 21 DEP END AT MDA, WITH AN ACFT TAKING OFF BELOW. TWR ASKED FOR OUR POS AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WERE AT THE MAP. THIS INCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF FAILURE OF SAFETY PLT TO RPT 3 MI OUT AS REQUESTED BY TWR (FORGETFULNESS) AND FAILURE OF PLT TO MONITOR OVERALL SITUATION AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. LESSONS LEARNED. PIC SHOULD NOT COMPLETELY DEPEND ON HIS SAFETY PLT. HE SHOULD NOT CONCENTRATE SO MUCH ON FLYING THE APCH THAT HE MISSES PERTINENT COMS. A 'VFR PRACTICE APCH' IS NOT AUTH TO COMPLETE THE PUBLISHED PROCS, IT IS CONTINGENT ON ATC AND CURRENT TFC SITUATION. THE PIC IS JUST THAT, IF HE PERCEIVES A SITUATION IN WHICH HE BELIEVES THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT IS BEING COMPROMISED, HE HAS AN OBLIGATION TO CORRECT THE SITUATION TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITY.

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.