Flight crew concerned about prohibited area during approach in dca airspace.

Attributes
ACN	406250
Time
Date	199806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 3100
ASRS Report	406250
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Vectored to the lda-DME runway 18 approach at dca. Intercept vector was poor and aircraft never intercepted the radial from the south. At approximately 5 mi and 2000 ft, I saw the river and airport environment, and completed the approach visually. At this point, I looked down and saw aircraft was north of the river. Unsure if aircraft penetrated southern edge of P-56. Received no comments from ATC. Checked navigation equipment on the ground and it all tested normally. If indications in cockpit were correct and we never actually got to the localizer, I should not have penetrated P-56. However, due to haze, visual indications make me concerned that I might have crossed the southern edge. The first officer felt that we had not penetrated P-56. Over a 4 yr period I have used this approach about 4-5 times and not once has it been successful. Most of the time ATC turns are so bad that most crews spot the river and take over visually, especially on hazy summer days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC CONCERNED ABOUT PROHIBITED AREA DURING APCH IN DCA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: VECTORED TO THE LDA-DME RWY 18 APCH AT DCA. INTERCEPT VECTOR WAS POOR AND ACFT NEVER INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL FROM THE S. AT APPROX 5 MI AND 2000 FT, I SAW THE RIVER AND ARPT ENVIRONMENT, AND COMPLETED THE APCH VISUALLY. AT THIS POINT, I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW ACFT WAS N OF THE RIVER. UNSURE IF ACFT PENETRATED SOUTHERN EDGE OF P-56. RECEIVED NO COMMENTS FROM ATC. CHKED NAV EQUIP ON THE GND AND IT ALL TESTED NORMALLY. IF INDICATIONS IN COCKPIT WERE CORRECT AND WE NEVER ACTUALLY GOT TO THE LOC, I SHOULD NOT HAVE PENETRATED P-56. HOWEVER, DUE TO HAZE, VISUAL INDICATIONS MAKE ME CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT HAVE CROSSED THE SOUTHERN EDGE. THE FO FELT THAT WE HAD NOT PENETRATED P-56. OVER A 4 YR PERIOD I HAVE USED THIS APCH ABOUT 4-5 TIMES AND NOT ONCE HAS IT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. MOST OF THE TIME ATC TURNS ARE SO BAD THAT MOST CREWS SPOT THE RIVER AND TAKE OVER VISUALLY, ESPECIALLY ON HAZY SUMMER DAYS.

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.