A320 captain describes difficulties encountered during the lda DME 19 approach to dca. The approach ...

Narrative:

Late night arrival; we were first cleared for the visual to runway 19. It was too hazy and dark for us to pick up the river in time. We were vectored around to the lda approach. We quickly reviewed and briefed the approach and commenced the approach. The visibility was poor; though legal; for the approach. It was very difficult to see the visual landmarks and do the circling part of the approach. We were very aware of avoiding the prohibited areas and may have inadvertently strayed too far west. It was very difficult to see our exact position as it was after midnight on a very dark night with haze. I had never done this approach in my 30+ years of flying and we were both very fatigued. We made every effort to fly the approach correctly but this was; by far; the most difficult approach I have ever flown in my 5 years on the airbus. I do not feel that the commercial chart pages and depictions are adequate for a night approach by someone unfamiliar with the airport and the extremely difficult approaches; especially at night and in reduced visibility. This approach should be a simulator training approach instead of a very simple NDB!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 Captain describes difficulties encountered during the LDA DME 19 approach to DCA. The approach occurred late at night in reduced visibility and was the first time for this reporter. Reporter believes that simulator training should be required prior to flying the actual approach.

Narrative: Late night arrival; we were first cleared for the visual to Runway 19. It was too hazy and dark for us to pick up the river in time. We were vectored around to the LDA approach. We quickly reviewed and briefed the approach and commenced the approach. The visibility was poor; though legal; for the approach. It was very difficult to see the visual landmarks and do the circling part of the approach. We were very aware of avoiding the prohibited areas and may have inadvertently strayed too far west. It was VERY difficult to see our exact position as it was after midnight on a very dark night with haze. I had never done this approach in my 30+ years of flying and we were both very fatigued. We made every effort to fly the approach correctly but this was; by far; the most difficult approach I have ever flown in my 5 years on the Airbus. I do not feel that the Commercial Chart pages and depictions are adequate for a night approach by someone unfamiliar with the airport and the extremely difficult approaches; especially at night and in reduced visibility. This approach should be a simulator training approach instead of a very simple NDB!

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.

Attributes
ACN	903940
Time
Date	201008
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	DCA.Airport
State Reference	DC
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach Initial Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 15000 Flight Crew Type 4000
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types

A320 captain describes difficulties encountered during the lda DME 19 approach to dca. The approach occurred late at night in reduced visibility and was the first time for this reporter. Reporter believes that simulator training should be required prior to flying the actual approach.