✈️ Aviation Brief — Issue #15
Weekly insights for student pilots and the instructors who train them.
THIS WEEK'S TOPIC
IA.V.D — Missed Approach (Instrument ACS)
### 1. ACS STANDARDS SUMMARY
Per the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS) for Instrument Rating Airplane (IA.V.D. Missed Approach), the pilot must execute the missed approach procedure as published on the chart or as directed by ATC. This includes initiating the procedure promptly at the decision altitude/height (DA/H) for precision approaches or missed approach point (MAP) for non-precision approaches; applying full power; establishing a climb pitch attitude; configuring the aircraft per the POH (e.g., gear up, flaps as appropriate); following the missed approach course or holding pattern; climbing to the missed approach altitude; and complying with all ATC instructions or visual flight rules if visual contact is established. The examiner expects smooth control inputs, precise navigation (using raw data or flight director as applicable), and risk management to avoid issues like improper configuration or terrain clearance failures.
### 2. THREE COMMON STUDENT MISTAKES
- **Delaying the initiation**: Students often "cheat" by descending a bit below DA/H or past the MAP hoping to spot the runway, leading to unstable approaches and potential CFIT (controlled flight into terrain) risks—examiners ding this hard as it's a go/no-go decision point.
- **Incomplete power and configuration**: Forgetting full power, positive rate climb confirmation, or the gear/flaps retraction sequence (e.g., leaving flaps down too long in a Cessna 172), which kills climb performance and can result in barely scraping over obstacles.
- **Drifting off the missed approach course**: Losing situational awareness during the config changes, failing to intercept the outbound radial or heading, or ignoring wind corrections—often due to not briefing the missed procedure thoroughly beforehand.
### 3. CFI PRO TIP
Always brief the missed approach *out loud* as part of every approach setup: "At DA/MAP, if no runway, power full, pitch for Vx, gear up positive rate, flaps up, climb to [altitude] on heading [course], contact tower." This builds muscle memory, forces you to visualize it, and turns a high-workload scramble into a rote flow—I've seen students shave seconds off their response time and nail checkrides after just a few reps.
### 4. SAFETY SPOTLIGHT
NTSB data (e.g., reports like CEN20FA123 and a cluster of 15+ incidents in ASRS Callback #500) highlights that botched missed approaches contribute to 10-15% of instrument approach accidents, often due to inadequate climb gradients. In one case, a Baron pilot in IMC delayed the missed from the MAP, retracted flaps prematurely, and stalled into rising terrain short of the climb-out path—reinforcing that executing immediately with proper config is non-negotiable for obstacle clearance, as missed procedures guarantee safe terrain avoidance only if flown precisely.
### 5. DID YOU KNOW
Missed approach procedures in the U.S. are engineered with at least a 2.5% climb gradient (higher if obstacles demand it), ensuring that even from the lowest point on the approach, your aircraft can safely escape—regardless of whether you're flying a fully loaded Cessna 172 or a faster twin. This standard has prevented countless potential disasters since the 1960s.
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