TPA TRACON CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING PROCS THAT DO NOT PROVIDE HVY SEPARATION BETWEEN MCF ARRIVALS AND SPG PATTERN ACFT.

Date: 2005-10

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

TPA TRACON CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING PROCS THAT DO NOT PROVIDE HVY SEPARATION BETWEEN MCF ARRIVALS AND SPG PATTERN ACFT.

Narrative

THIS RPT DOES NOT IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC EVENT; RATHER AN ONGOING SAFETY HAZARD. I'M A CTLR AT TAMPA APCH AND WE RUN APCHES INTO MCF. ON THE ILS AND THE TACAN RWY 4 APCH TO MCF; THE MINIMUM ALT FOR AN ACFT TO MAINTAIN IS 1600 FT MSL UNTIL THE FAF. THE FAC FOR BOTH APCHES PASSES DIRECTLY OVER SPG; WITH THE FAF BEING JUST A BIT NE OF SPG. THE PATTERN ALT AT SPG IS 800 FT; BUT I REGULARLY SEE (VIA MODE C) ACFT IN THE PATTERN THERE AT 900 OR 1000 FT. WITH HVY ACFT (KC135) ON APCH TO MCF; THERE IS A BUILT-IN LOSS OF PRESCRIBED VERT SEPARATION FROM HVY ACFT; WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE 1000 FT. THIS CAN LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC SIT. WHEN I QUESTIONED STAFF AND MANAGEMENT ABOUT THIS; I'VE RECEIVED A BLANK STARE AND AN; 'I DON'T KNOW; THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT. WE HAVEN'T HAD A CRASH YET.' TO ME; THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. I'VE SEEN WHAT JET BLAST FROM A DEPARTING C-17 CAN DO TO AN ARRIVING BEECHJET 400 WHEN I WAS AT CHS; I CAN JUST IMAGINE THE WAKE TURB FROM A HVY KC135 IN A DIRTY CONFIGURATION COULD DO TO A CESSNA OR PIPER IN THE VFR PATTERN AT WHITTED. HOPEFULLY; YOU FOLKS CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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