Flight began descent without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	114286
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bvl
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32800 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 14961
ASRS Report	114286
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Over bvl VOR eastbound at 33,000 MSL began descent without ATC clearance. Upon reminder from first officer of no descent clearance at 32,800 climb and return to 33,000 was accomplished. Flight was scheduled to land in slc only 96 DME away. ATC had not issued a descent clearance. First officer had not requested clearance until the excursion. A heated discussion was taking place between captain and other 2 crew members on an FAA swap team finding that a pilot had flown an approach at vref plus 15 KTS and made a hard landing. The 2 crew members were critical of the finding. Captain was stating his strong feelings that the findings were legitimate and valid and should be heeded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT BEGAN DESCENT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: OVER BVL VOR EBND AT 33,000 MSL BEGAN DSCNT WITHOUT ATC CLRNC. UPON REMINDER FROM F/O OF NO DSCNT CLRNC AT 32,800 CLIMB AND RETURN TO 33,000 WAS ACCOMPLISHED. FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO LAND IN SLC ONLY 96 DME AWAY. ATC HAD NOT ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC. F/O HAD NOT REQUESTED CLRNC UNTIL THE EXCURSION. A HEATED DISCUSSION WAS TAKING PLACE BTWN CAPT AND OTHER 2 CREW MEMBERS ON AN FAA SWAP TEAM FINDING THAT A PLT HAD FLOWN AN APCH AT VREF PLUS 15 KTS AND MADE A HARD LNDG. THE 2 CREW MEMBERS WERE CRITICAL OF THE FINDING. CAPT WAS STATING HIS STRONG FEELINGS THAT THE FINDINGS WERE LEGITIMATE AND VALID AND SHOULD BE HEEDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.