PLTDEV WHEN A B747 ON A LOC APCH DSNDS BELOW THE MDA TO 300 FT 2 MI FROM THE ARPT. RPTR HAD TO ADVISE THE FLC TO STOP DSCNT.

Date: 1997-04 · Aircraft: B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model

Anomalies: deviation-altitude-overshoot|inflight-event-encounter-cftt-cfit|other-unspecified

Synopsis

PLTDEV WHEN A B747 ON A LOC APCH DSNDS BELOW THE MDA TO 300 FT 2 MI FROM THE ARPT. RPTR HAD TO ADVISE THE FLC TO STOP DSCNT.

Narrative

I AM SUBMITTING THIS IN LIGHT OF RECENT NEWS RELEASES CONCERNING THE ACFT INCIDENT IN GUAM. I REALIZE THE INVESTIGATION HAS JUST STARTED; BUT I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THE RWY 24L GS WAS OUT FOR MAINT. THIS NECESSITATED THE USE OF LOC RWY 24L APCH PROCS. IT WAS COMMON TO GET A MSA WARNING ON JETS AS THEY STEPPED DOWN TO THE MDA ON FINAL APCH. OF COURSE; DURING VISUAL CONDITIONS WE DIDN'T WORRY MUCH SINCE WE COULD SEE THE ACFT. ON ONE OCCASION; THOUGH; I HAD TO ADVISE AN INTL CARRIER; B747; TO STOP DSCNT. THE ACFT DSNDED THROUGH THE MDA; AND THE NOSE DID NOT COME UP! THIS WAS ALL AT ABOUT 3 TO 2 1/2 MI OUT. I DIDN'T FEEL I COULD TAKE THE CHANCE ON ASSUMING HE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. IT WAS HAZY AND THE TERRAIN E OF LAX RISES SO GRADUALLY THAT YOU CAN'T TELL FROM THE AIR! TO MY BEST RECOLLECTION; THE ACFT LEVELED OFF AT AROUND 300 FT MSL; 2 MI E OF THE RWY. I THEN VERIFIED THAT THE PLT HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT; AND CLRNC TO LAND WAS ISSUED. I FEEL IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR ALL CONCERNED PARTIES TO MORE CLOSELY MONITOR APCHS WHEN ONE (OR MORE) PART OF THE APCH IS OTS; TO ENSURE THE APCH IS COMPLETED SAFELY.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.