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Private pilot of an sel small aircraft descended too early on a GPS approach causing a tower controller to observe the aircraft just miss the tower as it passed over on its approach to a non controled airport 5 mi away.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 433223 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199904 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dts.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx.artcc military facility : vps.milfac |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| 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 : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 433223 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Filed an IFR flight plan from bqk to dtw. Requested NDB approach. Controller said, 'do you have a GPS on board?' I answered affirmative, although the GPS was not IFR approved. I was cleared for the GPS 14 approach. I punched in the 'waypoints' for the approach, and put the gear down early to minimize activity at the FAF. To the best of my knowledge, I was at 2000 ft at the first fix and 1600 ft at the second. After that it was down to minimums and the landing was uneventful. The tower asked that I call them. They said I had passed over the tower 'low enough that they could count the people in the plane.' I don't have a clue how I could have been that low. In trying to recreate the approach, I thought that I may have had an increased rate of descent early, due to the wheels being down, and misread the altimeter. But, at 600 ft, we were still very IFR. In looking back, I should not have accepted that clearance in the first place.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT OF AN SEL SMA DSNDED TOO EARLY ON A GPS APCH CAUSING A TWR CTLR TO OBSERVE THE ACFT JUST MISS THE TWR AS IT PASSED OVER ON ITS APCH TO A NON CTLED ARPT 5 MI AWAY.
Narrative: FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM BQK TO DTW. REQUESTED NDB APCH. CTLR SAID, 'DO YOU HAVE A GPS ON BOARD?' I ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVE, ALTHOUGH THE GPS WAS NOT IFR APPROVED. I WAS CLRED FOR THE GPS 14 APCH. I PUNCHED IN THE 'WAYPOINTS' FOR THE APCH, AND PUT THE GEAR DOWN EARLY TO MINIMIZE ACTIVITY AT THE FAF. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, I WAS AT 2000 FT AT THE FIRST FIX AND 1600 FT AT THE SECOND. AFTER THAT IT WAS DOWN TO MINIMUMS AND THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE TWR ASKED THAT I CALL THEM. THEY SAID I HAD PASSED OVER THE TWR 'LOW ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD COUNT THE PEOPLE IN THE PLANE.' I DON'T HAVE A CLUE HOW I COULD HAVE BEEN THAT LOW. IN TRYING TO RECREATE THE APCH, I THOUGHT THAT I MAY HAVE HAD AN INCREASED RATE OF DSCNT EARLY, DUE TO THE WHEELS BEING DOWN, AND MISREAD THE ALTIMETER. BUT, AT 600 FT, WE WERE STILL VERY IFR. IN LOOKING BACK, I SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THAT CLRNC IN THE FIRST PLACE.
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.