PLT OF A TWIN SMT FAILED TO INTERCEPT GPS FINAL INST APCH DUE TO AN INSUFFICIENT VECTOR HDG FOR INTERSECTING THE FINAL COURSE. ARTCC CTLR FOR THE APCH SUBSEQUENTLY INTERVENED AND DIRECTED RPTR TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR LNDG SINCE HE WAS VFR WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT.
Synopsis
PLT OF A TWIN SMT FAILED TO INTERCEPT GPS FINAL INST APCH DUE TO AN INSUFFICIENT VECTOR HDG FOR INTERSECTING THE FINAL COURSE. ARTCC CTLR FOR THE APCH SUBSEQUENTLY INTERVENED AND DIRECTED RPTR TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR LNDG SINCE HE WAS VFR WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT.
Narrative
ZID ADVISED 'EXPECT A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32 AT MUNCIE' TO WHICH I REPLIED 'ANY CHANCE OF A GPS APCH TO RWY 32?' THEY REPLIED 'EXPECT GPS APCH TO RWY 32.' MY REQUEST FOR LOWER ALT GOT ME DOWN TO 3000 FT. I WAS EXPECTING TO JOIN THE FINAL APCH COURSE (307 DEGS) FROM THE E BUT THE VECTORS TOOK ME THROUGH IT; SO NOW I WOULD BE JOINING FROM THE S. MY FINAL ASSIGNED HDG WAS 300 DEGS WHICH DID NOT SEEM LIKE A VERY GOOD HDG FOR CAPTURING 307 DEGS UNLESS THERE WAS A VERY STRONG WIND FROM THE SW. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO RPT ESTABLISHED ON THE 307 DEG COURSE INBOUND. AFTER SEVERAL MINS WITH NOTHING GOOD HAPPENING (CDI PEGGED TO THE R) I NOTICED; LOOKING OUTSIDE; THAT I WAS ON THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 32; CLOSE TO THE ARPT AND HIGH SO I STARTED DOWN FOR A LNDG. UPON REACHING 2500 FT; CTR REQUESTED MY ALT AND THEN ADVISED I SHOULD BE AT 3000 FT. I REPLIED I WAS CLBING TO 3000 FT BUT BEFORE I GOT THERE CTR CAME BACK WITH 'I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. GO OVER TO THE TWR AND LAND;' WHICH I DID. THE FIRST BREAKDOWN IN THE SYS WAS THE FAULTY VECTOR. BEFORE LEAVING MUNCIE; MY SON AND I FLEW THE MUNCIE GPS RWY 32 APCH TWICE. WITH PROPER VECTORS TO FINAL THE WHOLE APCH WAS WITHOUT A HITCH. I BELIEVE PROPER VECTORS THAT GET THE PLT EXPEDITIOUSLY ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE WILL GO A LONG WAY IN IMPROVING THE SUCCESS RATE OF VECTORED APCHS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.