Narrative:

On jun/wed/94 I was the captain on airlines flight from juneau to sitka. We were cleared to 16000 ft on V-341. Shortly after passing ssr VOR, we were cleared direct to cluck intersection, maintain 7000 ft. Since this was not via V-341, we requested clearance to cluck via lyric intersection. This would put us on V-341 with established MEA's. Our request was approved. Zan then cleared us for the lda DME runway 11 approach to sitka, maintain 7000 ft until on a published portion of the approach. We set 8000 ft in the altitude controller as this was the MEA on V-341 prior to lyric. After passing lyric, inbound to cluck (the IAF) we selected 5000 ft in the altitude window as this was the MEA to cluck intersection, and we were cleared approach. We contacted sitka radio at 30 mi out and asked for advisories. When we were inside cluck and at 5000 ft, sitka radio advised us to maintain 7000 ft until on a published portion of the approach as per zan. Since we were inside the IAF (cluck) and VFR, we acknowledged and canceled IFR. A normal approach and landing was made at sitka. Contributing factors: 1) center working multiple frequencys giving multiple clrncs. 2) center handing aircraft off to sitka radio prior to clearance being complied with. (This resulted in center not being able to contact aircraft immediately when a deviation from the clearance was noted.) 3) company policy of setting in MEA in altitude window versus cleared altitude when in VNAV descent when MEA is higher. Suggestions: 1) center should not handoff aircraft until clearance is complied with. 2) center should not be using multiple frequencys and giving multiple clrncs. 3) crew should set cleared altitude in FMC for restr from ATC. This is not company policy. Supplemental information from acn 273945: our filed route is a barlo 6 departure with a ssr transition. On this morning ssr was OTS. The controller cleared us direct to the cluck intersection. I informed the controller of our desire to remain on V0341 using fmcs navigation. Since ssr was OTS we wanted to have the benefit of published MEA's on the airway for our descent into sitka. Shortly after passing 4000 ft, sitka radio called to inform us that 'zan advises maintain 7000 ft until on a published portion of the approach.' when I reviewed my lda/DME chart I realized that the IAF for this approach was cluck intersection and that we had acknowledged a clearance to maintain 7000 ft until on a published portion of the approach. A follow-up conversation with zan personnel revealed a restr that controllers are not permitted to issue descent in the sector below MVA when the aircraft is operating on RNAV (or fmcs) navigation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE SSR VOR WAS OTS CAUSING AN ACR CREW TO FLY THE AIRWAYS MEA VICE THE CLRED ALT.

Narrative: ON JUN/WED/94 I WAS THE CAPT ON AIRLINES FLT FROM JUNEAU TO SITKA. WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT ON V-341. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING SSR VOR, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO CLUCK INTXN, MAINTAIN 7000 FT. SINCE THIS WAS NOT VIA V-341, WE REQUESTED CLRNC TO CLUCK VIA LYRIC INTXN. THIS WOULD PUT US ON V-341 WITH ESTABLISHED MEA'S. OUR REQUEST WAS APPROVED. ZAN THEN CLRED US FOR THE LDA DME RWY 11 APCH TO SITKA, MAINTAIN 7000 FT UNTIL ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APCH. WE SET 8000 FT IN THE ALT CTLR AS THIS WAS THE MEA ON V-341 PRIOR TO LYRIC. AFTER PASSING LYRIC, INBOUND TO CLUCK (THE IAF) WE SELECTED 5000 FT IN THE ALT WINDOW AS THIS WAS THE MEA TO CLUCK INTXN, AND WE WERE CLRED APCH. WE CONTACTED SITKA RADIO AT 30 MI OUT AND ASKED FOR ADVISORIES. WHEN WE WERE INSIDE CLUCK AND AT 5000 FT, SITKA RADIO ADVISED US TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT UNTIL ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APCH AS PER ZAN. SINCE WE WERE INSIDE THE IAF (CLUCK) AND VFR, WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND CANCELED IFR. A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG WAS MADE AT SITKA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) CTR WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS GIVING MULTIPLE CLRNCS. 2) CTR HANDING ACFT OFF TO SITKA RADIO PRIOR TO CLRNC BEING COMPLIED WITH. (THIS RESULTED IN CTR NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT ACFT IMMEDIATELY WHEN A DEV FROM THE CLRNC WAS NOTED.) 3) COMPANY POLICY OF SETTING IN MEA IN ALT WINDOW VERSUS CLRED ALT WHEN IN VNAV DSCNT WHEN MEA IS HIGHER. SUGGESTIONS: 1) CTR SHOULD NOT HDOF ACFT UNTIL CLRNC IS COMPLIED WITH. 2) CTR SHOULD NOT BE USING MULTIPLE FREQS AND GIVING MULTIPLE CLRNCS. 3) CREW SHOULD SET CLRED ALT IN FMC FOR RESTR FROM ATC. THIS IS NOT COMPANY POLICY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 273945: OUR FILED RTE IS A BARLO 6 DEP WITH A SSR TRANSITION. ON THIS MORNING SSR WAS OTS. THE CTLR CLRED US DIRECT TO THE CLUCK INTXN. I INFORMED THE CTLR OF OUR DESIRE TO REMAIN ON V0341 USING FMCS NAV. SINCE SSR WAS OTS WE WANTED TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF PUBLISHED MEA'S ON THE AIRWAY FOR OUR DSCNT INTO SITKA. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING 4000 FT, SITKA RADIO CALLED TO INFORM US THAT 'ZAN ADVISES MAINTAIN 7000 FT UNTIL ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APCH.' WHEN I REVIEWED MY LDA/DME CHART I REALIZED THAT THE IAF FOR THIS APCH WAS CLUCK INTXN AND THAT WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT UNTIL ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APCH. A FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION WITH ZAN PERSONNEL REVEALED A RESTR THAT CTLRS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ISSUE DSCNT IN THE SECTOR BELOW MVA WHEN THE ACFT IS OPERATING ON RNAV (OR FMCS) NAV.

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.