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Air carrier descends well below minimum altitude on approach to atlantic city, nj. MSAW equipment saves the day in this one.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 470294 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200004 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : acy.airport |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 480 msl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : acy.tracon tower : acy.tower |
| 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 vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1300 |
| ASRS Report | 470294 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : msaw other controllerb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Vectored for VOR runway 4 approach at acy. Misread approach plate -- thought final approach fix was 8 mi when it was actually 5 mi. I began descent of MDA at 8 mi. Tower advised they had an altitude alert -- begin immediate climb. I initiated climb. When climbing through 1000 ft, we were then 5 mi out and I then descended to MDA and landed. First officer never caught my misinterp of the approach plate during my approach briefing. That, coupled with the deteriorating lighting conditions and moderate turbulence, led to the misreading of the approach plate.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR DSNDS WELL BELOW MINIMUM ALT ON APCH TO ATLANTIC CITY, NJ. MSAW EQUIP SAVES THE DAY IN THIS ONE.
Narrative: VECTORED FOR VOR RWY 4 APCH AT ACY. MISREAD APCH PLATE -- THOUGHT FINAL APCH FIX WAS 8 MI WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY 5 MI. I BEGAN DSCNT OF MDA AT 8 MI. TWR ADVISED THEY HAD AN ALT ALERT -- BEGIN IMMEDIATE CLB. I INITIATED CLB. WHEN CLBING THROUGH 1000 FT, WE WERE THEN 5 MI OUT AND I THEN DSNDED TO MDA AND LANDED. FO NEVER CAUGHT MY MISINTERP OF THE APCH PLATE DURING MY APCH BRIEFING. THAT, COUPLED WITH THE DETERIORATING LIGHTING CONDITIONS AND MODERATE TURB, LED TO THE MISREADING OF THE APCH PLATE.
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.