Narrative:

IFR filed and on IFR clearance from lakeland to pie. Over tpa, cleared received to descend from 4000' MSL to 2600' MSL on heading 270 degrees, and to expect vectors for localizer/backcourse 35R approach at pie. Private pilot working an instrument rating was in left seat and was controling the airplane. CFI, I was acknowledging clrncs and tuning navigation/communication radios. Another airplane had been cleared out of pie runway 35R to climb and maintain 2100' on a heading of 101 degrees. Student acknowledged receipt of descent clearance by nodding his head and then reducing power for a cruise descent. CFI was tuning radios to receive pie ATIS. With CFI's attention thus momentarily diverted from the altimeter, the student had descended to 2100' before the CFI noticed the deviation from ATC instructions. The CFI made an immediate correction to attain 2600'. As he took the controls to climb, the CFI saw the airplane on departure for about 2 seconds as it passed below and to the rear on a northerly track. ATC pointed out the deviation. CFI acknowledged and apologized for the error, while correcting to assigned altitude. To give proper training to an instrument student in the ATC procedures and other procedures involved in planning, departure, en route and arrival, and to give the student experience flying in IMC, it is necessary to file IFR and have the student do as much of the work as he can. Being a student implies a propensity for errors of a degree intolerable in the IFR system, so that in addition to all the other tasks involved in single pilot, light aircraft IFR, VMC or IMC, the CFI (I) must catch the mistakes at all times, as the student begins to make them. (We do not have an IFR procedures ground trainer in our area that is suitable for this type training.) while this is the first time in over 6000 hours of instrument dual instruction given that I have had a serious deviation, it points up the almost intolerable burden placed on the cfii in a busy terminal area.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI AND TRAINEE ON IFR VECTORED APCH OVERSHOT DESCENT CLRNC.

Narrative: IFR FILED AND ON IFR CLRNC FROM LAKELAND TO PIE. OVER TPA, CLRED RECEIVED TO DSND FROM 4000' MSL TO 2600' MSL ON HDG 270 DEGS, AND TO EXPECT VECTORS FOR LOC/BACKCOURSE 35R APCH AT PIE. PVT PLT WORKING AN INSTRUMENT RATING WAS IN LEFT SEAT AND WAS CTLING THE AIRPLANE. CFI, I WAS ACKNOWLEDGING CLRNCS AND TUNING NAV/COM RADIOS. ANOTHER AIRPLANE HAD BEEN CLRED OUT OF PIE RWY 35R TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 2100' ON A HDG OF 101 DEGS. STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF DSCNT CLRNC BY NODDING HIS HEAD AND THEN REDUCING PWR FOR A CRUISE DSCNT. CFI WAS TUNING RADIOS TO RECEIVE PIE ATIS. WITH CFI'S ATTN THUS MOMENTARILY DIVERTED FROM THE ALTIMETER, THE STUDENT HAD DSNDED TO 2100' BEFORE THE CFI NOTICED THE DEVIATION FROM ATC INSTRUCTIONS. THE CFI MADE AN IMMEDIATE CORRECTION TO ATTAIN 2600'. AS HE TOOK THE CONTROLS TO CLB, THE CFI SAW THE AIRPLANE ON DEP FOR ABOUT 2 SECS AS IT PASSED BELOW AND TO THE REAR ON A NORTHERLY TRACK. ATC POINTED OUT THE DEVIATION. CFI ACKNOWLEDGED AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR, WHILE CORRECTING TO ASSIGNED ALT. TO GIVE PROPER TRNING TO AN INSTRUMENT STUDENT IN THE ATC PROCS AND OTHER PROCS INVOLVED IN PLANNING, DEP, ENRTE AND ARR, AND TO GIVE THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE FLYING IN IMC, IT IS NECESSARY TO FILE IFR AND HAVE THE STUDENT DO AS MUCH OF THE WORK AS HE CAN. BEING A STUDENT IMPLIES A PROPENSITY FOR ERRORS OF A DEGREE INTOLERABLE IN THE IFR SYS, SO THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER TASKS INVOLVED IN SINGLE PLT, LIGHT ACFT IFR, VMC OR IMC, THE CFI (I) MUST CATCH THE MISTAKES AT ALL TIMES, AS THE STUDENT BEGINS TO MAKE THEM. (WE DO NOT HAVE AN IFR PROCS GND TRAINER IN OUR AREA THAT IS SUITABLE FOR THIS TYPE TRNING.) WHILE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 6000 HRS OF INSTRUMENT DUAL INSTRUCTION GIVEN THAT I HAVE HAD A SERIOUS DEVIATION, IT POINTS UP THE ALMOST INTOLERABLE BURDEN PLACED ON THE CFII IN A BUSY TERMINAL AREA.

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.