CTLR ISSUED SMA X 360 AT LOW ALT.
Synopsis
CTLR ISSUED SMA X 360 AT LOW ALT.
Narrative
I WAS CONDUCTING STUDENT TRAINING IN SMA X. THE STUDENT WAS A POST-SOLO STUDENT PLT WITH ABOUT 20 HRS TOTAL TIME. WE WERE MAKING L TFC IN THE TOUCH AND GO PATTERN FOR RWY 19L AT ICT. ON TWO OCCASIONS WE WERE GIVEN AN INSTRUCTION BY ICT TWR TO 'MAKE A L 360.' IN BOTH CASES WE WERE ON FINAL APCH WITHIN 1/3 MI OF THE RWY THRESHOLD; BELOW 200 FT AGL. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE WE WERE BEING OVERTAKEN BY FASTER ACFT FOLLOWING US ON FINAL. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE; TWR HAD PUT AN ACFT IN POS ON 19L; BUT WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE IT DUE TO A MICROPHONE MALFUNCTION. IN EACH CASE OUR RESPONSE TO 'MAKE A L 360.' WAS TO INITIATE A GAR THEN ADVISE TWR WE WOULD ENTER A L DOWNWIND. DURING SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH MY STUDENT; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT A STUDENT; OR LOW TIME PLT MIGHT TAKE THE TWR INSTRUCTION LITERALLY AND ATTEMPT A MEDIUM BANK 360 DEG TURN. IN OUR CASE; THIS TURN WOULD HAVE BEEN INITIATED AT 150 FT TO 200 FT AGL; WITH FULL FLAPS AND A LOW PWR SETTING. SUCH A TURN WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS MANEUVER FOR A STUDENT A LOW TIME PLT. SINCE THIS INSTRUCTION WAS GIVEN TWICE UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES; I BELIEVE IT REPRESENTS A COM PATTERN. IN MY OPINION; THE PROPER INSTRUCTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN 'SMA X GAR;' FOLLOWED BY ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS AS APPROPRIATE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.