A C414 CAPT WITH A FOREIGN FO ARE TAKEN OFF AN INST APCH AFTER LANGUAGE; SITUATIONAL AWARENESS LAPSES; FATIGUE; AN ALTDEV; AND POOR FO INVOLVEMENT ADD UP TO AN OVERLOADED CAPT UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Date: 2008-07 · Aircraft: Chancellor 414A / C414 · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

A C414 CAPT WITH A FOREIGN FO ARE TAKEN OFF AN INST APCH AFTER LANGUAGE; SITUATIONAL AWARENESS LAPSES; FATIGUE; AN ALTDEV; AND POOR FO INVOLVEMENT ADD UP TO AN OVERLOADED CAPT UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative

MY FO IS OUR ENGLISH-AS-SECOND-LANGUAGE FO. SO; ON EVERY FLT WITH HIM THE WORKLOAD IS INCREASED BY MY HAVING TO TEACH HIM TO SPEAK AND UNDERSTAND ENGLISH BETTER AND TO BE AWARE OF WHEN I HAVE TO STEP IN AND HANDLE COMS. WE ARE ASKED TO KEEP IT IN TIGHT BEHIND A SIMILAR TYPE ACFT AHEAD; AND TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT OR BELOW. THIS PLAN WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED BECAUSE THE BOEING 717 WAS 2 MI BEHIND AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM. HOWEVER; MY LOSING THE TFC IN THE HAZE; AND BALLOONING UP TO 2500 FT DID NOT HELP EVEN ONE BIT. THIS WAS JUST A SIMPLE LOSS OF VISUAL AND A VERY UNCHARACTERISTIC; IF I MAY SAY SO MYSELF; LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. COMPOUNDING THIS WAS THAT I NEVER DID SET IN THE ILS ON THE GARMIN 430 UNTIL TURNING ON TO FINAL (THIS WAS VFR). AS IT TURNS OUT; THEY TOOK US OFF THE APCH AND VECTORED US AROUND; AND ALL WAS WELL AFTER THAT. HOWEVER; WE COULD HAVE ROYALLY BLEEPED UP THE TFC PATTERN AROUND THIS BUSY ARPT DUE TO THIS 500 FT BLOWN ALT. FACTORS INCLUDED: WORKLOAD DUE TO INCOMPETENT DEVELOPMENTAL FO; LACKADAISICAL ATTITUDE DURING WHOLE FLT DUE TO FATIGUE AND END-OF-DAY TIME FRAME; CAPT'S FAILURE TO SET UP INSTS PROPERLY FOR APCH AND RESULTING LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO FIND QUALIFIED PLTS SOMETIMES BUT WHEN SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL; RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK THAT WON'T IN THE LONG RUN. SEND THE FO BACK TO INSTRUCTING PRIMARIES OR DOING SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE WHILE THEY HONE THEIR COM SKILLS TO MEET A MINIMUM STANDARD FOR BASIC WORK. IF YOU DO HAVE SOMEONE IN THE COCKPIT LIKE THAT; HAVE THEM DO MINIMAL WORK FOR YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU TREAT IT AS A ONE-PLT FLT WITH RESPECT TO WORKFLOW; WHEN NECESSARY.

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