Reporter concerned reference aircraft drifting off runway alignment during parallel approachs.

Attributes
ACN	191829
Time
Date	199110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	191829
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Situation: parallel visual or IFR approachs with a strong crosswind aloft relative to the surface wind and final approach course. I have noticed aircraft from the upwind side frequently drift past their proper ground track into the area of the parallel approach before figuring out the crosswind and corrective embarrassing in VMC and a possible disaster in IMC. Some controllers will offer the winds at 2000 ft or some other suggestion or hint. Others say nothing or offer headings to correct after the fact. My recommendation is that these conditions always be reported either by the ATIS or on initial contact with approach control. An example of this situation was at minneapolis, mn. Almost all day on xx it was VMC. Surface wind 150-180 about 15 KTS. Wind at 3000 ft was approximately 250 40-50 KTS. Parallel visual approachs to 11L and 11R.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CONCERNED REF ACFT DRIFTING OFF RWY ALIGNMENT DURING PARALLEL APCHS.

Narrative: SITUATION: PARALLEL VISUAL OR IFR APCHS WITH A STRONG XWIND ALOFT RELATIVE TO THE SURFACE WIND AND FINAL APCH COURSE. I HAVE NOTICED ACFT FROM THE UPWIND SIDE FREQUENTLY DRIFT PAST THEIR PROPER GND TRACK INTO THE AREA OF THE PARALLEL APCH BEFORE FIGURING OUT THE XWIND AND CORRECTIVE EMBARRASSING IN VMC AND A POSSIBLE DISASTER IN IMC. SOME CTLRS WILL OFFER THE WINDS AT 2000 FT OR SOME OTHER SUGGESTION OR HINT. OTHERS SAY NOTHING OR OFFER HDGS TO CORRECT AFTER THE FACT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THESE CONDITIONS ALWAYS BE RPTED EITHER BY THE ATIS OR ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH APCH CTL. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS SITUATION WAS AT MINNEAPOLIS, MN. ALMOST ALL DAY ON XX IT WAS VMC. SURFACE WIND 150-180 ABOUT 15 KTS. WIND AT 3000 FT WAS APPROX 250 40-50 KTS. PARALLEL VISUAL APCHS TO 11L AND 11R.

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.