Narrative:

On approach to landing on runway 24 at ack airport at approximately 200 ft AGL I moved the beta stop to the aft position. I was taking into account the temperature, gross weight, reference speed and runway length. My intention was to avoid entering beta with the beta stop engaged upon landing which has been a problem in the past. An FAA inspector was in the jump seat. We discussed the beta stop problems. I know I'm sending this in late, however I deviated from the checklist and wanted NASA to know about the beta stop problems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: during an FAA route check, captain operated the beta stop in the 'routine' manner, 'accidentally,' against checklist and SOP. The SOP for the beta stop (an in-flight beta and reverse lock-out lever) is to physically remove on landing threshold, but this would delay beta selection and cause a problem on a short runway. So against sops, flight crew removed the beta lock in-flight on approach to short runways. FAA aci recognized deviation, questioned reporter, and informed chief pilot. The beta stop lever is a temporary initiative and manufacturer is required to replace all beta stops (approximately 1 yr deadline) with a weight-on-wheels microswitch. It is anticipated that this will resolve current operation frustration experienced by pilots. The reporter flies the saab 340.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340 FLC REMOVED 'GND-OP ONLY' BETA LOCK WHILE INFLT. FAA ACI REVIEW FOLLOWED.

Narrative: ON APCH TO LNDG ON RWY 24 AT ACK ARPT AT APPROX 200 FT AGL I MOVED THE BETA STOP TO THE AFT POS. I WAS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TEMP, GROSS WT, REF SPD AND RWY LENGTH. MY INTENTION WAS TO AVOID ENTERING BETA WITH THE BETA STOP ENGAGED UPON LNDG WHICH HAS BEEN A PROB IN THE PAST. AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN THE JUMP SEAT. WE DISCUSSED THE BETA STOP PROBS. I KNOW I'M SENDING THIS IN LATE, HOWEVER I DEVIATED FROM THE CHKLIST AND WANTED NASA TO KNOW ABOUT THE BETA STOP PROBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: DURING AN FAA ROUTE CHK, CAPT OPERATED THE BETA STOP IN THE 'ROUTINE' MANNER, 'ACCIDENTALLY,' AGAINST CHKLIST AND SOP. THE SOP FOR THE BETA STOP (AN INFLT BETA AND REVERSE LOCK-OUT LEVER) IS TO PHYSICALLY REMOVE ON LNDG THRESHOLD, BUT THIS WOULD DELAY BETA SELECTION AND CAUSE A PROB ON A SHORT RWY. SO AGAINST SOPS, FLC REMOVED THE BETA LOCK INFLT ON APCH TO SHORT RWYS. FAA ACI RECOGNIZED DEV, QUESTIONED RPTR, AND INFORMED CHIEF PLT. THE BETA STOP LEVER IS A TEMPORARY INITIATIVE AND MANUFACTURER IS REQUIRED TO REPLACE ALL BETA STOPS (APPROX 1 YR DEADLINE) WITH A WT-ON-WHEELS MICROSWITCH. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS WILL RESOLVE CURRENT OP FRUSTRATION EXPERIENCED BY PLTS. THE RPTR FLIES THE SAAB 340.

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.