1995-09 · NASA ASRS report 317030
ACFT LANDS BELOW MINIMUMS.
DEPARTED DQH ON IFR TO AYS (CEILING WAS 900 FT OVCST AT DQH AND AYS) WITH APPROX 2 HRS 15 MINS FUEL ON BOARD (ADEQUATE FOR ESTIMATED 15 MINS ENRTE AND REQUIRED ADDITIONAL FUEL). SHOT VOR A APCH INTO AYS AND DID NOT BREAK OUT AT MAP; SO WENT MISSED. ACFT WAS NOT ILS EQUIPPED SO CONSIDERED ALTERNATE ARPTS. CEILINGS WERE LOWERING AT ALL NEARBY ARPTS (BELOW MINIMUMS). FUEL DEPLETION BECAME A MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE ALTERNATE AS IF UNABLE TO COMPLETE ANOTHER APCH; GOING TO ANOTHER ALTERNATE AND A MISSED COULD HAVE BECOME A PROB. THE FUEL GAUGES WERE SHOWING EXTREMELY LOW (NOTHING ELSE TO RELY ON EXCEPT CALCULATIONS AND DUE TO LOCATION OVER OKEFENOKEE SWAMP) DID NOT WANT TO CHANCE AND EMER LNDG. I REQUESTED VECTORS TO LOC AT DQH AND CTR WAS UNABLE TO COMPLY DUE TO RADAR COVERAGE IN AREA. I ADVISED THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ADF ON BOARD WHICH WAS NEEDED FOR LOC RWY 4 AT DQH TO IDENT IAF AND FAF; ATC MISUNDERSTOOD AND THOUGHT THAT I WAS NOT RECEIVING THE NDB AND VERIFIED THAT IT WAS FUNCTIONAL. OUR DETERMINATION WAS THAT IT WAS TOO RISKY TO CHANCE GOING TO ANOTHER ARPT SO MY DECISION WAS TO EXECUTE THE APCH WITHOUT ALL THE REQUIRED NAVAIDS. I PROCEEDED ON THE AUS TRANSITION AND INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND PROCEEDED OUTBOUND FOR THE PROC TURN AND ESTIMATED THE FAF INBOUND FOR THE FINAL DSCNT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE MDA I DID NOT BREAK OUT; BUT I COULD MAKE OUT GND BELOW. GOING MISSED WAS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE OF THE FUEL SIT SO I DSNDED BELOW MINIMUMS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE APCH WHICH WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT EVENT. IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS SIT AGAIN I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT IFR FLT IN ANY ACFT WITH MINIMAL NAVIGATIONAL EQUIP IS FOOLISH AND SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED. ALSO; HAVING MINIMAL FUEL ALTHOUGH WITHIN THE FAR INTO IMC SHOULD BE AVOIDED. THE THREAT OF AN EMER DSCNT THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND A SWAMP LNDG IN ALLIGATOR ALLEY WAS TERRIBLY DISCONCERTING! I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IFR OPS IN NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENT CAN BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND EXERCISED ONLY WITH EXTREME CAUTION!; IF AT ALL!
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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