<< >> NASA ASRS Report 840109, June 2009

BE40 first officer questions the appropriateness of the captains descent on the PAPI while executing an instrument approach procedure.

Attributes
ACN	840109
Time
Date	200906
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	SMO.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Beechjet 400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 4500 Flight Crew Type 30
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

Briefed the approach noting the step down fix. Captain concurred and reviewed the approach. Socal approached vectored us onto the final and cleared us for the approach. The captain crossed bevey and descended. He initially saw the airport and began to align with the runway. I called course deviation and buildings in front. He returned to the course. I called level at 1150 and he stated he was visual. I called level we are cleared for approach. He stated he had the PAPI. I called level 1.5 miles to go and he continued to descend stating he was visual that he was above the PAPI. We were not cleared for the visual approach. He descended onto the PAPI and proceeded inbound to a landing at smo. The aim states that a visual or contact clearance is necessary for a deviation from approach limitations. The distance remaining from culve requires more than 1000/FPM descent to the runway for a landing. If the overlay included distance to the runway end it would assist the pilot in planning. Nos charts are used by the company.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE40 First Officer questions the appropriateness of the Captains descent on the PAPI while executing an instrument approach procedure.

Narrative: Briefed the approach noting the step down fix. Captain concurred and reviewed the approach. SoCAL approached vectored us onto the final and cleared us for the approach. The Captain crossed BEVEY and descended. He initially saw the airport and began to align with the runway. I called course deviation and buildings in front. He returned to the course. I called level at 1150 and he stated he was visual. I called level we are cleared for approach. He stated he had the PAPI. I called level 1.5 miles to go and he continued to descend stating he was visual that he was above the PAPI. We were not cleared for the visual approach. He descended onto the PAPI and proceeded inbound to a landing at SMO. The AIM states that a visual or contact clearance is necessary for a deviation from approach limitations. The distance remaining from CULVE requires more than 1000/FPM descent to the runway for a landing. If the overlay included distance to the runway end it would assist the pilot in planning. NOS charts are used by the company.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.