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Air carrier captain misinterprets clearance during arrival into shv and starts descent prior to being cleared for the visual approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 127493 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198911 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : shv |
| State Reference | LA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2550 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : shv |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 127493 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2950 |
| ASRS Report | 127496 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on a vector to approach at shreveport to land on runway 14, we reported the runway in sight at about 15 mi distance. Approach cleared us for 'own navigation to the airport'. I understood 'cleared for visual' and started down from 3000', our last assigned altitude. At 2550' the copilot recognized my mistake and I started back up to 3000'. No conflict occurred with other traffic and no problems occurred other than the altitude deviation. The problem was caused by my expecting a visual approach clearance and mistakenly 'hearing what I wanted to hear'. Recurrence of the problem will be prevented by a more careful attention to instructions. The controller could help by recognizing the potential for error with this type of situation and clarifying the altitude requirement with the clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR CAPT MISINTERPRETS CLRNC DURING ARR INTO SHV AND STARTS DESCENT PRIOR TO BEING CLEARED FOR THE VISUAL APCH.
Narrative: WHILE ON A VECTOR TO APCH AT SHREVEPORT TO LAND ON RWY 14, WE REPORTED THE RWY IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 15 MI DISTANCE. APCH CLRED US FOR 'OWN NAVIGATION TO THE ARPT'. I UNDERSTOOD 'CLRED FOR VISUAL' AND STARTED DOWN FROM 3000', OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT. AT 2550' THE COPLT RECOGNIZED MY MISTAKE AND I STARTED BACK UP TO 3000'. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED WITH OTHER TFC AND NO PROBLEMS OCCURRED OTHER THAN THE ALT DEVIATION. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY MY EXPECTING A VISUAL APCH CLRNC AND MISTAKENLY 'HEARING WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR'. RECURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM WILL BE PREVENTED BY A MORE CAREFUL ATTN TO INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR COULD HELP BY RECOGNIZING THE POTENTIAL FOR ERROR WITH THIS TYPE OF SITUATION AND CLARIFYING THE ALT REQUIREMENT WITH THE CLRNC.
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.