What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was cleared for ILS 13 to ktsc. He was left high on the approach by air traffic control due to radar coverage limitations in that area for radar vectoring and had to capture the glideslope from above. During the approach, the autopilot was coupled to the localizer and the pilot was hand flying the glideslope (pitch). The pilot stated that the autopilot was hunting slightly as it tracked the localizer, but was within acceptable limits. When he reached his decision altitude, he thought he was below glideslope, but couldn't recall by how much. The pilot applied power to level off at his decision altitude and he began looking for the runway. He did not see any runway lights, but saw a road which he thought could be either a taxiway or an airport service road. At that time, he felt his best option was to put the aircraft on the ground rather than execute a missed approach. The aircraft landed on a paved county road and came to a stop with no damage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR ILS 13 TO KTSC. HE WAS LEFT HIGH ON THE APPROACH BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DUE TO RADAR COVERAGE LIMITATIONS IN THAT AREA FOR RADAR VECTORING AND HAD TO CAPTURE THE GLIDESLOPE FROM ABOVE.DURING THE APPROACH, THE AUTOPILOT WAS COUPLED TO THE LOCALIZER AND THE PILOT WAS HAND FLYING THE GLIDESLOPE (PITCH). THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AUTOPILOT WAS HUNTING SLIGHTLY AS IT TRACKED THE LOCALIZER, BUT WAS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LIMITS.WHEN HE REACHED HIS DECISION ALTITUDE, HE THOUGHT HE WAS BELOW GLIDESLOPE, BUT COULDN'T RECALL BY HOW MUCH. THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO LEVEL OFF AT HIS DECISION ALTITUDE AND HE BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE RUNWAY.HE DID NOT SEE ANY RUNWAY LIGHTS, BUT SAW A ROAD WHICH HE THOUGHT COULD BE EITHER A TAXIWAY OR AN AIRPORT SERVICE ROAD. AT THAT TIME, HE FELT HIS BEST OPTION WAS TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND RATHER THAN EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH.THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON A PAVED COUNTY ROAD AND CAME TO A STOP WITH NO DAMAGE.
Other reports on N2059W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.