Flying_Monkey
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2014
- Messages
- 3,062
- Reaction score
- 1,467
I was looking at this approach procedure for the San Carlos airport today. I noticed the missed approach procedure has a climbing left turn to 4300 direct AMEBY. There is a 639 MSL obstacle to the left of the runway, as pictured on the approach plate and on the attached Foreflight screenshot. It appears to be within 1.1 mi of the runway which explains why circling west of the runway in not authorized. The missed requires a 302 foot per nm climb rate (NOTAM'd to 350 fpNM).
The MDA is 600 feet and I understand on a normal missed approach commencing from MDA that you would be guaranteed obstacle clearance due to the required climb rate.
What about this scenario: Ceiling is 900 OVC (airport is 5 foot elevation so AGL is about equal to MSL figures here). You do the approach down to mins and have airport in sight and satisfy the 3 conditions to continue below mins. You continue down but due to winds or an animal on the runway or a bounced landing or any other reason you must go around. You cannot cancel IFR and do a VFR go around because the field is IFR. It seems like executing the MAP (climbing left turn) will put you in danger of hitting the obstacle. If the obstacle (and the subsequent 895 foot obstacle) are between 1 and 2 miles away you are still only at 700 feet after 2 nm if you are right at the min climb rate.
Maybe this is why the MDA is 600'... so that you would SEE the obstacle on this type of missed and be able to avoid because since you descended below MDA the ceiling must have been 600 feet or higher? That is, you wouldn't have descended below 600' unless the ceiling were 600 or greater since you wouldn't have the field in sight at MDA.
I am assuming you do not climb straight back to MDA and then initiate missed approach procedure.
I've never seen an missed approach with an obstacle so close in on the missed approach procedure.
The MDA is 600 feet and I understand on a normal missed approach commencing from MDA that you would be guaranteed obstacle clearance due to the required climb rate.
What about this scenario: Ceiling is 900 OVC (airport is 5 foot elevation so AGL is about equal to MSL figures here). You do the approach down to mins and have airport in sight and satisfy the 3 conditions to continue below mins. You continue down but due to winds or an animal on the runway or a bounced landing or any other reason you must go around. You cannot cancel IFR and do a VFR go around because the field is IFR. It seems like executing the MAP (climbing left turn) will put you in danger of hitting the obstacle. If the obstacle (and the subsequent 895 foot obstacle) are between 1 and 2 miles away you are still only at 700 feet after 2 nm if you are right at the min climb rate.
Maybe this is why the MDA is 600'... so that you would SEE the obstacle on this type of missed and be able to avoid because since you descended below MDA the ceiling must have been 600 feet or higher? That is, you wouldn't have descended below 600' unless the ceiling were 600 or greater since you wouldn't have the field in sight at MDA.
I am assuming you do not climb straight back to MDA and then initiate missed approach procedure.
I've never seen an missed approach with an obstacle so close in on the missed approach procedure.
