Missed the Memo

It started with an email question: How do you identify SWASO on the missed approach at Knoxville Downtown Island (KDKX) LOC RWY 26 approach? A quick glance says, Duh, its an intersection, but a closer inspection says its not that simple. The identification of SWASO on this approach chart omits a few critical details-enough that if you still dont have an IFR GPS, you might find yourself at a loss.

jwanwest

Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The KDKX LOC RWY 26 missed approach contains critical charting discrepancies for the SWASO fix.
Government charts omit the DME distance for SWASO from the Volunteer VOR, making identification difficult without GPS or referring to en-route charts.
The NDB co-located with the BENFI outer marker, which would allow ADF identification of SWASO, was decommissioned but remains referenced as a navigation aid on the KDKX approach chart.
These issues underscore the importance of thorough pre-flight briefing and awareness of potential outdated or inconsistent information for pilots not using modern IFR GPS.

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It’s the writer in me that can’t resist playing with words. That’s why I can’t decide if this clinic’s title should be as you read it or, “Missed, the Memo,” as in a long treatise about the missed approach. Because that’s what’s odd here, and I’ll admit I didn’t see it until someone else waved the WTF flag.

It started with an email question: How do you identify SWASO on the missed approach at Knoxville Downtown Island (KDKX) LOC RWY 26 approach? A quick glance says, “Duh, it’s an intersection,” but a closer inspection says it’s not that simple. The identification of SWASO on this approach chart omits a few critical details—enough that if you still don’t have an IFR GPS, you might find yourself at a loss.