Complains of visual approachs over high terrain for landing to the west.

Attributes
ACN	94663
Time
Date	198809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mry
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mry
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	94663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

This report is being written to alert you to the fact that when visibility is VFR, monterey approach control and tower routinely clear airplanes to fly over rapidly rising terrain south of airport to enter downwind for a left hand visual approach to runway 28L. This requires either a very long extended high downwind leg or flying a 500' ag over the hill tops on downwind and base legs for a 'normal pattern.' I consider it a marginal procedure at best and in reduced visibility (below 5 NM) downright dangerous and noisy for the residents of the community. This clearance and procedure is given for 'traffic' and ATC is reluctant and most often refuses a request for a right hand pattern and downwind entry south of the airport over relatively flat and safe terrain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPLAINS OF VISUAL APCHS OVER HIGH TERRAIN FOR LNDG TO THE WEST.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS BEING WRITTEN TO ALERT YOU TO THE FACT THAT WHEN VISIBILITY IS VFR, MONTEREY APCH CTL AND TWR ROUTINELY CLR AIRPLANES TO FLY OVER RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN S OF ARPT TO ENTER DOWNWIND FOR A L HAND VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28L. THIS REQUIRES EITHER A VERY LONG EXTENDED HIGH DOWNWIND LEG OR FLYING A 500' AG OVER THE HILL TOPS ON DOWNWIND AND BASE LEGS FOR A 'NORMAL PATTERN.' I CONSIDER IT A MARGINAL PROC AT BEST AND IN REDUCED VISIBILITY (BELOW 5 NM) DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS AND NOISY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS CLRNC AND PROC IS GIVEN FOR 'TFC' AND ATC IS RELUCTANT AND MOST OFTEN REFUSES A REQUEST FOR A R HAND PATTERN AND DOWNWIND ENTRY S OF THE ARPT OVER RELATIVELY FLAT AND SAFE TERRAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.