C172 INSTRUCTOR AND INST STUDENT WERE DSNDED TOO LOW BY THE AZO APCH CTLR IN AZO CLASS E.
Synopsis
C172 INSTRUCTOR AND INST STUDENT WERE DSNDED TOO LOW BY THE AZO APCH CTLR IN AZO CLASS E.
Narrative
I WAS ON AN INST TRAINING FLT; WORKING ON MY INST RATING. MYSELF AND MY CFII WERE SHOOTING A PRACTICE ILS RWY 35 APCH INTO AZO. THE CTLR WAS BUSY AND HE KEPT US AT 3500 FT ON A 170 DEG VECTOR. ABOUT 10 MI SW ON THE GPS WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L TO 090 DEGS AND DSND DOWN TO 2500 FT. THE PUBLISHED MSA WITHIN 25 NM OF AZO (AUSTIN) LOM/IAF IS 3000 FT; AND 2800 FT WITHIN 10 NM OF AZO. I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC TO DSND TO 2500 FT AND TURNED L TO 090 DEGS FOR A L BASE ON THE ILS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BIT ODD THAT THE CTLR GAVE US THIS 2500 FT CLRNC. I DIDN'T QUESTION IT INITIALLY. AT THE FINAL APCH CLRNC; THE CTLR REALIZED THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE AND SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF; 'CESSNA XYZ TURN L 020 DEGS; I'M SORRY; I DSNDED YOU DOWN TOO FAR; MAINTAIN 2800 FT TILL ESTABLISHED; YOU'RE 3 MI SW OF AZ; CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 35 APCH; CONTACT AZO TWR ON 118.3.' I ACKNOWLEDGED SAYING THAT; 'I WOULD INDEED CLB AND MAINTAIN 2800 FT; CLRED ILS RWY 35 APCH AND OVER TO TWR; WE'LL SEE YA.' MY INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT IT WAS A BIT ODD THAT I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 2500 FT; AND NEXT TIME I WILL BE SURE TO CHALLENGE A CLRNC THAT WILL TAKE ME BELOW THE PUBLISHED MINIMUMS. I THINK THAT DUE TO MY INEXPERIENCE WITH INST FLYING I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN YET. I DEFINITELY HAVE LEARNED AN IMPORTANT LESSON; AND I AM GLAD THAT MY CFII DID NOT SAY ANYTHING.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.