<< >> NASA ASRS Report 504307, March 2001

B757 crew first time into rsw, late night trip, are cleared for an approach while at 3000 ft, 6 mi from the runway.

Attributes
ACN	504307
Time
Date	200103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rsw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rsw.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	504307
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Approach kept us at 3000 ft until we reported the airport in sight after telling us they'd set us up for an ILS. Both captain and first officer first visit to rsw. When we realized we weren't getting an approach clearance, we reported the airport in sight and were cleared for the visual at 6 mi and 3000 ft (6 degree GS). Despite our best efforts we were not on speed or GS until 300 ft AGL. I know that ft myers is noise sensitive, but this ILS runway 6 is an accident waiting to happen if ATC deliberately sets up aircraft for unstabilized approachs! We continued the approach only because 'severe clear.,' a 12000 ft runway, and trend indicated on-speed, on GS before minimums. Next time, I'll go around. Discussion with other crews at hotel indicates this is 'normal operations' for ft myers!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW FIRST TIME INTO RSW, LATE NIGHT TRIP, ARE CLRED FOR AN APCH WHILE AT 3000 FT, 6 MI FROM THE RWY.

Narrative: APCH KEPT US AT 3000 FT UNTIL WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AFTER TELLING US THEY'D SET US UP FOR AN ILS. BOTH CAPT AND FO FIRST VISIT TO RSW. WHEN WE REALIZED WE WEREN'T GETTING AN APCH CLRNC, WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AT 6 MI AND 3000 FT (6 DEG GS). DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS WE WERE NOT ON SPD OR GS UNTIL 300 FT AGL. I KNOW THAT FT MYERS IS NOISE SENSITIVE, BUT THIS ILS RWY 6 IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN IF ATC DELIBERATELY SETS UP ACFT FOR UNSTABILIZED APCHS! WE CONTINUED THE APCH ONLY BECAUSE 'SEVERE CLR.,' A 12000 FT RWY, AND TREND INDICATED ON-SPD, ON GS BEFORE MINIMUMS. NEXT TIME, I'LL GO AROUND. DISCUSSION WITH OTHER CREWS AT HOTEL INDICATES THIS IS 'NORMAL OPS' FOR FT MYERS!

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.