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Pilot complaint about increased height of MDA. At 760 ft versus the published 660 ft, the reporter says the approach requires an excessive descent from close in to runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 331518 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : san |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 748 msl bound upper : 748 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : san |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 331518 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
During approach into san on localizer runway 27 with MDA raised 100 ft puts the aircraft at 748 ft above field level. Everyone else is making the approach to a landing, and we did too, but it is very difficult to make a normal descent and in my judgement, for what it is worth, makes the approach less safe, that is what it is supposed to do isn't it. Please help us out by re-reviewing localizer runway 27 approach at san. Thanks. Callback conversation with socal TRACON and san tower revealed the following information: callback with socal TRACON and san lindbergh tower. Reporter's phone number not available. The MDA for the localizer runway 27 has remained 660 ft for many yrs and is still the same. Tower personnel report that this pilot's air carrier probably has different minimums than the published ones. Apparently some companies believe by increasing the ceiling and visibility requirements, it adds to the margin of safety. However, the tower reports that it makes it more difficult for traffic control because, while some flts are landing with the current WX, some air carrier aircraft cannot.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT COMPLAINT ABOUT INCREASED HEIGHT OF MDA. AT 760 FT VERSUS THE PUBLISHED 660 FT, THE RPTR SAYS THE APCH REQUIRES AN EXCESSIVE DSCNT FROM CLOSE IN TO RWY.
Narrative: DURING APCH INTO SAN ON LOC RWY 27 WITH MDA RAISED 100 FT PUTS THE ACFT AT 748 FT ABOVE FIELD LEVEL. EVERYONE ELSE IS MAKING THE APCH TO A LNDG, AND WE DID TOO, BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A NORMAL DSCNT AND IN MY JUDGEMENT, FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH, MAKES THE APCH LESS SAFE, THAT IS WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO ISN'T IT. PLEASE HELP US OUT BY RE-REVIEWING LOC RWY 27 APCH AT SAN. THANKS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH SOCAL TRACON AND SAN TWR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CALLBACK WITH SOCAL TRACON AND SAN LINDBERGH TWR. RPTR'S PHONE NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE. THE MDA FOR THE LOC RWY 27 HAS REMAINED 660 FT FOR MANY YRS AND IS STILL THE SAME. TWR PERSONNEL RPT THAT THIS PLT'S ACR PROBABLY HAS DIFFERENT MINIMUMS THAN THE PUBLISHED ONES. APPARENTLY SOME COMPANIES BELIEVE BY INCREASING THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, IT ADDS TO THE MARGIN OF SAFETY. HOWEVER, THE TWR RPTS THAT IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR TFC CTL BECAUSE, WHILE SOME FLTS ARE LNDG WITH THE CURRENT WX, SOME ACR ACFT CANNOT.
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.