 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Flight crew lost visual reference with the runway while circling-to-land from a non-precision approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 292610 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199412 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bvy |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bos |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : circling |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 292610 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
WX at airport and arsa airports 700-900 broken or overcast. Visibility 2-3 mi rain, wind 010 degrees to 090 degree, 25 gust to 38 KTS (INS wind at 2000 ft MSL 040 degree at 66 KTS). A closed low was moving up the east coast. The tower was closed. The crew was tired (at the end of the duty day). The approach was via the localizer runway 16 with a right circle to runway 9. (Runway 16 is the shorter of the 2 runways, and would have some tailwind) the approach was discussed en route and predep and was then briefed as discussed. The sic (PNF) has over 9000 hours (2000 plus in type) and usually flies as captain on this aircraft. Broke out 100 ft above MDA. Overflew airport and turned right downwind. Flew a short downwind (based on time) then started a right turn to a modified base to final. (PNF characterized our progress on downwind turning base as -- 'ok') as I rolled out I looked for the runway/airport and couldn't find it. (I estimated the visibility/better than 2 mi...maybe 3) I asked the PNF to point out the airport to me. His response was to use the FMS to find it! As I started a missed approach, I acquired the airport at 11 O'clock, not at the 1:30 O'clock I expected. We were 1/2 mi south of the airport! We were able to re-enter downwind, fly the pattern and land. Post flight -- the PNF lost the airport turning downwind but thought he could stay oriented using lights on the ground (this is home base) also, he thought I 'could handle it.' we had a long talk about his role as our 'eyes' and his responsibilities in this particular situation. Because of his experience and qualification, I hadn't briefed him to keep the airport in sight or to call for a go around if he lost the airport/runway. 'Ass U me!' to me this was an unsafe and unnerving experience -- night, poor WX, low altitude and lost! And the only person that had that information kept it to himself, and didn't act on it. As a result of our post flight talks, I don't think either pilot will ever repeat the mistakes of this incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC LOST VISUAL REF WITH THE RWY WHILE CIRCLING-TO-LAND FROM A NON-PRECISION APCH.
Narrative: WX AT ARPT AND ARSA ARPTS 700-900 BROKEN OR OVCST. VISIBILITY 2-3 MI RAIN, WIND 010 DEGS TO 090 DEG, 25 GUST TO 38 KTS (INS WIND AT 2000 FT MSL 040 DEG AT 66 KTS). A CLOSED LOW WAS MOVING UP THE E COAST. THE TWR WAS CLOSED. THE CREW WAS TIRED (AT THE END OF THE DUTY DAY). THE APCH WAS VIA THE LOC RWY 16 WITH A R CIRCLE TO RWY 9. (RWY 16 IS THE SHORTER OF THE 2 RWYS, AND WOULD HAVE SOME TAILWIND) THE APCH WAS DISCUSSED ENRTE AND PREDEP AND WAS THEN BRIEFED AS DISCUSSED. THE SIC (PNF) HAS OVER 9000 HRS (2000 PLUS IN TYPE) AND USUALLY FLIES AS CAPT ON THIS ACFT. BROKE OUT 100 FT ABOVE MDA. OVERFLEW ARPT AND TURNED R DOWNWIND. FLEW A SHORT DOWNWIND (BASED ON TIME) THEN STARTED A R TURN TO A MODIFIED BASE TO FINAL. (PNF CHARACTERIZED OUR PROGRESS ON DOWNWIND TURNING BASE AS -- 'OK') AS I ROLLED OUT I LOOKED FOR THE RWY/ARPT AND COULDN'T FIND IT. (I ESTIMATED THE VISIBILITY/BETTER THAN 2 MI...MAYBE 3) I ASKED THE PNF TO POINT OUT THE ARPT TO ME. HIS RESPONSE WAS TO USE THE FMS TO FIND IT! AS I STARTED A MISSED APCH, I ACQUIRED THE ARPT AT 11 O'CLOCK, NOT AT THE 1:30 O'CLOCK I EXPECTED. WE WERE 1/2 MI S OF THE ARPT! WE WERE ABLE TO RE-ENTER DOWNWIND, FLY THE PATTERN AND LAND. POST FLT -- THE PNF LOST THE ARPT TURNING DOWNWIND BUT THOUGHT HE COULD STAY ORIENTED USING LIGHTS ON THE GND (THIS IS HOME BASE) ALSO, HE THOUGHT I 'COULD HANDLE IT.' WE HAD A LONG TALK ABOUT HIS ROLE AS OUR 'EYES' AND HIS RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS PARTICULAR SIT. BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATION, I HADN'T BRIEFED HIM TO KEEP THE ARPT IN SIGHT OR TO CALL FOR A GAR IF HE LOST THE ARPT/RWY. 'ASS U ME!' TO ME THIS WAS AN UNSAFE AND UNNERVING EXPERIENCE -- NIGHT, POOR WX, LOW ALT AND LOST! AND THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAD THAT INFO KEPT IT TO HIMSELF, AND DIDN'T ACT ON IT. AS A RESULT OF OUR POST FLT TALKS, I DON'T THINK EITHER PLT WILL EVER REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF THIS INCIDENT.
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.