Narrative:

A new copilot was flying the aircraft. Approach control cleared us for an ILS approach to runway 5 at bhm to maintain 2600' until intercepting localizer. Copilot immediately descended. I told him forcefully to get back to 2600' and even grabbed the yoke and tried to pull up, but he resisted and I was unable to stop him. (Localizer still indicated full scale deflection.) at about 2250' I finally got his attention and he brought the aircraft back to 2600' and completed the approach and landing. Since the approach chart called for 2200' inbound to intercept the G/south, he must have had a mindset to do this no matter what. The controllers instructions never registered, nor did mine. He certainly should have confirmed the descent with me before doing it. I talked with him about it at length on the ground, and he acknowledged the potential for disaster of his actions. The way he flies, maneuvers and lands the large transport indicates to me that he needs considerably more experience as a copilot. His instrument scan is not good and he is behind the aircraft. He is a strike-breaking pilot at a major airline who is soon to be upgraded to captain! When the going gets tough, he and others like him will pose a serious risk to their passenger and crew a la air carrier Y den and air carrier Z lga.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ALT DEVIATION FROM CLRNC ALT DURING VECTORS FOR ILS APCH AT BHM.

Narrative: A NEW COPLT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. APCH CTL CLRED US FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 5 AT BHM TO MAINTAIN 2600' UNTIL INTERCEPTING LOC. COPLT IMMEDIATELY DSNDED. I TOLD HIM FORCEFULLY TO GET BACK TO 2600' AND EVEN GRABBED THE YOKE AND TRIED TO PULL UP, BUT HE RESISTED AND I WAS UNABLE TO STOP HIM. (LOC STILL INDICATED FULL SCALE DEFLECTION.) AT ABOUT 2250' I FINALLY GOT HIS ATTN AND HE BROUGHT THE ACFT BACK TO 2600' AND COMPLETED THE APCH AND LNDG. SINCE THE APCH CHART CALLED FOR 2200' INBND TO INTERCEPT THE G/S, HE MUST HAVE HAD A MINDSET TO DO THIS NO MATTER WHAT. THE CTLRS INSTRUCTIONS NEVER REGISTERED, NOR DID MINE. HE CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THE DSCNT WITH ME BEFORE DOING IT. I TALKED WITH HIM ABOUT IT AT LENGTH ON THE GND, AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER OF HIS ACTIONS. THE WAY HE FLIES, MANEUVERS AND LANDS THE LGT INDICATES TO ME THAT HE NEEDS CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPERIENCE AS A COPLT. HIS INSTRUMENT SCAN IS NOT GOOD AND HE IS BEHIND THE ACFT. HE IS A STRIKE-BREAKING PLT AT A MAJOR AIRLINE WHO IS SOON TO BE UPGRADED TO CAPT! WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, HE AND OTHERS LIKE HIM WILL POSE A SERIOUS RISK TO THEIR PAX AND CREW A LA ACR Y DEN AND ACR Z LGA.

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.