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Small aircraft on training flight descends prematurely on a practice approach in designated mountainous terrain.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 186169 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199108 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pih |
| State Reference | ID |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v21 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer instruction : instructor oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 320 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 186169 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While flying an instrument training flight at 12000 ft on victor airway 21 north, we requested a practice approach at pocatello airport. (We were filed to wys.) slc center cleared us to wys airport via the VOR and runway 3 pocatello approach. We asked center if we were cleared to descend and were told we were cleared. We descended to 7000 MSL and crossed the pocatello VOR for the procedure turn outbound. Center then called us and asked our altitude and advised us that we were cleared to descend, but not below the MEA of 9000 (10000 published). We did not pay close enough attention to our MEA on the victor airway and center could have been more clear about altitude that we could descend to, and being cleared for the approach (i.e., cleared for the pocatello VOR runway 3 approach, maintain 10000 until crossing the poc VOR). Conditions were terminal VMC and it was a good learning experience. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was counseled reference MEA's and mra's versus initial approach altitudes. Reporter concurred with analyst that a review of the plate and the en route airways for restr altitudes is of the utmost importance, particularly in mountainous terrain. Reporter felt that the VMC WX conditions were conducive to descending without closer scrutiny of altitudes. Analyst reminded him that he was still on an IFR clearance and that controller expected those altitudes to be observed by the PIC.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ON TRAINING FLT DSNDS PREMATURELY ON A PRACTICE APCH IN DESIGNATED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING AN INST TRAINING FLT AT 12000 FT ON VICTOR AIRWAY 21 N, WE REQUESTED A PRACTICE APCH AT POCATELLO ARPT. (WE WERE FILED TO WYS.) SLC CENTER CLRED US TO WYS ARPT VIA THE VOR AND RWY 3 POCATELLO APCH. WE ASKED CENTER IF WE WERE CLRED TO DSND AND WERE TOLD WE WERE CLRED. WE DSNDED TO 7000 MSL AND CROSSED THE POCATELLO VOR FOR THE PROC TURN OUTBOUND. CENTER THEN CALLED US AND ASKED OUR ALT AND ADVISED US THAT WE WERE CLRED TO DSND, BUT NOT BELOW THE MEA OF 9000 (10000 PUBLISHED). WE DID NOT PAY CLOSE ENOUGH ATTN TO OUR MEA ON THE VICTOR AIRWAY AND CENTER COULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLR ABOUT ALT THAT WE COULD DSND TO, AND BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH (I.E., CLRED FOR THE POCATELLO VOR RWY 3 APCH, MAINTAIN 10000 UNTIL XING THE POC VOR). CONDITIONS WERE TERMINAL VMC AND IT WAS A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS COUNSELED REF MEA'S AND MRA'S VERSUS INITIAL APCH ALTS. RPTR CONCURRED WITH ANALYST THAT A REVIEW OF THE PLATE AND THE ENRTE AIRWAYS FOR RESTR ALTS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE, PARTICULARLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. RPTR FELT THAT THE VMC WX CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO DSNDING WITHOUT CLOSER SCRUTINY OF ALTS. ANALYST REMINDED HIM THAT HE WAS STILL ON AN IFR CLRNC AND THAT CTLR EXPECTED THOSE ALTS TO BE OBSERVED BY THE PIC.
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.