S80 PIC CHALLENGES T75 VISUAL APCH PROC TO RWYS 30L AND 30R AT STL; AND EXECUTES A GAR.

Date: 2003-01 · Aircraft: MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|other-visual-side-by-apchs

Synopsis

S80 PIC CHALLENGES T75 VISUAL APCH PROC TO RWYS 30L AND 30R AT STL; AND EXECUTES A GAR.

Narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEBRIEF IS TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN UNSAFE PRACTICE USED BY STL APCH CTL. BECAUSE THE RWYS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER FOR SIMULTANEOUS PRECISION APCHS AT STL; THE PRACTICE WHEN VISUAL APCHS ARE IN EFFECT; IS TO USE THE ILS LOC OF THE R RWY AND THE OFFSET LDA LOC OF THE LEFT RWY. BECAUSE ACFT ARE OPERATING CLOSE TOGETHER; APCH CTL WILL CLR THE ACFT ON THE R RWY FOR A VISUAL APCH AND STEP DOWN THE ACFT ON THE L SIDE UNTIL THEY CAN ACCEPT VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE ACFT ON THE R. THERE IS A PRACTICE USED BY STL APCH CTL; WHICH I BELIEVE IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. WHEN RUNNING VISUAL APCHS; THEY PUT ACFT LNDG RWY 30L ABEAM ACFT LNDG RWY 30R (AND REQUIRE THE HIGHER ACFT); WHICH IS THE ONE ON APCH FOR RWY 30L TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE ONE ON RWY 30R. THE PROB IS THAT; BECAUSE OF THE OFFSET OF THE RWY THRESHOLDS -- RWY 30R IS E OF RWY 30L -- IF BOTH ACFT ARE ON A NORMAL GS; WHICH; OF COURSE; WE ARE REQUIRED TO FLY; AND BOTH ACFT ARE ABEAM EACH OTHER -- IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE PLT IN THE L SEAT OF THE HIGHER ACFT ON THE RWY 30L APCH TO SEE THE ACFT ON THE RWY 30R APCH; BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF SIGHT BELOW AND TO THE R. I CANNOT ADDRESS HOW OTHER CAPTS HANDLE THIS. I'VE HEARD SOME GO AROUND; BUT MANY APPARENTLY ACCEPT THE CLRNC IF THEIR FO CAN SEE THE OTHER ACFT. BUT; I; AS THE PIC AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFE OP OF MY FLT; WILL NOT ACCEPT A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM AN ACFT THAT I CANNOT SEE; PERIOD. AN ANGRY CTLR DEMANDING THAT WE CALL THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT. AS A RESULT; I HAVE BEEN SENT AROUND SEVERAL TIMES AT STL THROUGH THE YRS; INCLUDING THIS FLT. THIS SAME SIT OCCURS WHEN RWY 12L AND RWY 12R ARE IN USE. THERE HAS TO BE AN OFFSET WITH THE HIGHER ACFT AT LEAST SLIGHTLY BEHIND TO ALLOW BOTH PLTS OF THE HIGHER ACFT TO SAFELY SEE THE LOWER ACFT.

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