Missed approach hold question KCRQ ILS-LOC 24

[patrickperalta]

The missed approach for KCRQ ILS-LOC 24 states:

MISSED APPROACH: Climb to 3000 on heading 245 and on OCN VORTAC R-145 to OCN VORTAC and hold.

https://skyvector.com/files/tpp/2101/pdf/05310IL24.PDF

However the plate doesn't depict the holding pattern. What would ATC expect? The X-Plane GPS shows the hold on a 270 radial NW of OCN.

[Keith Smith]

That hold is associated with the HILPT for the VOR-A. There are no published holds at OCN on the low enroute chart. If you reach your clearance limit and no further instructions are received, you would hold on the current course, right turns, 1 min legs.

Reference: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publica ... n_1.5.html

If no holding pattern is charted and holding instructions have not been issued, the pilot should ask ATC for holding instructions prior to reaching the fix. This procedure will eliminate the possibility of an aircraft entering a holding pattern other than that desired by ATC. If unable to obtain holding instructions prior to reaching the fix (due to frequency congestion, stuck microphone, etc.), then enter a standard pattern on the course on which the aircraft approached the fix and request further clearance as soon as possible. In this event, the altitude/flight level of the aircraft at the clearance limit will be protected so that separation will be provided as required.

[patrickperalta]

Thank you Keith, that was also my interpretation. I had a missed approach at KCRQ recently and followed the holding pattern in the GPS (I should have looked closer at the plate). Afterwards I looked at the plate again and practiced the hold the way I think it should be flown which is what you described. I didn't realize the hold depicted in the GPS is for the VOR-A, good catch!

[Keith Smith]

You're welcome. Just a tip, I would make sure the GPS backs up what I've read and interpreted from the plate rather than assuming the GPS is good to go. That is especially true in the simulator with non-approved setups.

All of that said, it's definitely rare for an approach plate not to have holding instructions at the terminating point on the missed. The only other one that springs to mind based is the ILS 20R at SNA: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2101/00377IL20R.PDF. In that case, it doesn't even contain an instruction to hold.

Of course the absolute reality is that if you go missed in a radar environment, it's very likely that you'll be getting vectored the moment you starting talking to the radar controller again. They're going to want to know your intentions, and assuming it's another approach, you'll get vectored for it soon after. If it's an IRL missed (ie, you weren't just out shooting approaches, but the field was below mins), you may well be diverting, in which case, once again, they'll have you on your way fairly quickly. Having you hold somewhere it the departure corridor is not what they'd be wanting you to do for any real length of time

[patrickperalta]

Just a tip, I would make sure the GPS backs up what I've read and interpreted from the plate rather than assuming the GPS is good to go.

+1, that was my biggest takeaway!