DC9 crew had uncomfortably tight turn to final issued by ATCT local controller at cid.

Attributes
ACN	511022
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cid.airport
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cid.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : contact
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	511022
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : cid.tower

Narrative:

Cid approach control gave us vectors to a close-in right base to runway 9. We called the field in sight and were cleared for a visual approach. He added 'turn final within 4 mi.' although we were high, I slowed the aircraft and configured so we would be in the slot before 500 ft AGL per company policy. I misjudged the turn to final and overshot the course. When turned to runway heading, I was approximately 600 ft AGL and used minor course corrections to return to course. While no technical violations occurred, this clearance is a set-up for an accident. Turning 90 degrees to final within 4 mi is essentially a circling approach at minimums (without benefit of preparation or briefing). A better clearance would have been 'make short approach' or 'keep it in tight,' because a 4 mi limit with no localizer DME is easy to misjudge. I foresee some gars into traffic or even a CFIT incident if we continue with this type of clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW HAD UNCOMFORTABLY TIGHT TURN TO FINAL ISSUED BY ATCT LCL CTLR AT CID.

Narrative: CID APCH CTL GAVE US VECTORS TO A CLOSE-IN R BASE TO RWY 9. WE CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. HE ADDED 'TURN FINAL WITHIN 4 MI.' ALTHOUGH WE WERE HIGH, I SLOWED THE ACFT AND CONFIGURED SO WE WOULD BE IN THE SLOT BEFORE 500 FT AGL PER COMPANY POLICY. I MISJUDGED THE TURN TO FINAL AND OVERSHOT THE COURSE. WHEN TURNED TO RWY HDG, I WAS APPROX 600 FT AGL AND USED MINOR COURSE CORRECTIONS TO RETURN TO COURSE. WHILE NO TECHNICAL VIOLATIONS OCCURRED, THIS CLRNC IS A SET-UP FOR AN ACCIDENT. TURNING 90 DEGS TO FINAL WITHIN 4 MI IS ESSENTIALLY A CIRCLING APCH AT MINIMUMS (WITHOUT BENEFIT OF PREPARATION OR BRIEFING). A BETTER CLRNC WOULD HAVE BEEN 'MAKE SHORT APCH' OR 'KEEP IT IN TIGHT,' BECAUSE A 4 MI LIMIT WITH NO LOC DME IS EASY TO MISJUDGE. I FORESEE SOME GARS INTO TFC OR EVEN A CFIT INCIDENT IF WE CONTINUE WITH THIS TYPE OF CLRNC.

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.