Helicopter
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 9800; Flight Crew Type 1200
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Procedure; Weather
The GPS 333 approach at Amelia/Morgan City; LA missed approach point is AMAND intersection. The visual distance and bearing to 7LS3 from AMAND is 284 degrees at 1.6 NM. The MDA for the approach is 320 feet MSL. There is a tower over 300 feet tall 0.7 miles on an approximate 230 radial from the end of the flyway at 7LS3; less than 0.5 miles from the visual transition course. This obstacle is not depicted on the instrument approach path chart. I do not know the exact requirements for computing the MDA for a point in space approach; but having conducted this approach to minimums VMC the tower seems to be a hazard and is well within the radius for a circling approach to the flyway. The date on the approach is 26 Mar 99. I know of no updates or NOTAMs that modify this approach or it's minima from the published procedure. Operators carrying passengers are routinely conducting this approach in weather. I believe this to be a hazardous situation; and the approach should be reevaluated given the current hazards and amended as required to give appropriate obstacle clearance.
The reporter identified the antenna on Google Earth at 057 degrees/.76 NM. Shadow on the adjacent field northeast from the antenna identifies the antenna location. The antenna is not noted on any approach charts.
A pilot flying into 7LS3 noted a 300 ft antenna approximately 57 degrees at 0.75 NM from the northeast flyway end. The antenna is between the airport and AMAND intersection where the approach MDA is 320 ft.