<< >> NASA ASRS Report 360370, February 1997

Approach controller technique ATC not in keeping with terminal area WX factors. High approach required early aircraft gear and flap extension for increased rate of descent. Descent procedure made obs aci nervous.

Attributes
ACN	360370
Time
Date	199702
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	360370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Descending into lga on minks 1 arrival, 50 KT tailwind. Icing conditions required keeping engines at a higher power setting than normal, thus slowing descent rate. Ny approach vectors us off the arrival, cutting the corner at minks and clearing us to intercept the lga runway 4 localizer. At the intercept, we were on the GS, but with the 50 KT tailwind and the necessity to keep the power up, the only way to descend was to extend flaps and landing gear, maintaining altitude to do so, then descend rapidly to reintercept the GS from above. In order to do this, our descent rate was 2500 FPM until we stabilized at 1000 ft AGL on GS and on airspeed. FAA inspector in jumpseat was uncomfortable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR TECHNIQUE ATC NOT IN KEEPING WITH TERMINAL AREA WX FACTORS. HIGH APCH REQUIRED EARLY ACFT GEAR AND FLAP EXTENSION FOR INCREASED RATE OF DSCNT. DSCNT PROC MADE OBS ACI NERVOUS.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO LGA ON MINKS 1 ARR, 50 KT TAILWIND. ICING CONDITIONS REQUIRED KEEPING ENGS AT A HIGHER PWR SETTING THAN NORMAL, THUS SLOWING DSCNT RATE. NY APCH VECTORS US OFF THE ARR, CUTTING THE CORNER AT MINKS AND CLRING US TO INTERCEPT THE LGA RWY 4 LOC. AT THE INTERCEPT, WE WERE ON THE GS, BUT WITH THE 50 KT TAILWIND AND THE NECESSITY TO KEEP THE PWR UP, THE ONLY WAY TO DSND WAS TO EXTEND FLAPS AND LNDG GEAR, MAINTAINING ALT TO DO SO, THEN DSND RAPIDLY TO REINTERCEPT THE GS FROM ABOVE. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, OUR DSCNT RATE WAS 2500 FPM UNTIL WE STABILIZED AT 1000 FT AGL ON GS AND ON AIRSPD. FAA INSPECTOR IN JUMPSEAT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE.

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.