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Distracted by cockpit duties and lack of approach preparation, atx pilot descends out of assigned altitude while being vectored for approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 137460 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pie airport : x41 |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : tpa |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 2700 |
| ASRS Report | 137460 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was being vectored to intercept the inbound course for a VOR approach to tampa bay executive airport in new port richey, fl, and cleared to descend to 1600 AGL. Upon reaching 1600 AGL I leveled off and placed the autoplt on altitude hold while I looked at the approach plate. The electric trim malfunctioned and I looked up to see the aircraft descending toward 1000 AGL. I dropped my approach plate and climbed back 1600 AGL, but, in the confusion and darkness I was now looking at the wrong approach plate. A malfunction of the autoplt started a series of events: a) being vectored to intercept the inbound right for a VOR approach too close to the fianl descent point gave little time to correct my mistake or problem. B) the approach plate should have been removed from the book and placed in the clip on my panel. C) I should have studied the approach plate sooner. The problem was discovered by scanning the gauges and an alert controller who advised me of his observations.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DISTRACTED BY COCKPIT DUTIES AND LACK OF APCH PREPARATION, ATX PLT DESCENDS OUT OF ASSIGNED ALT WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH.
Narrative: I WAS BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE INBND COURSE FOR A VOR APCH TO TAMPA BAY EXECUTIVE ARPT IN NEW PORT RICHEY, FL, AND CLRED TO DSND TO 1600 AGL. UPON REACHING 1600 AGL I LEVELED OFF AND PLACED THE AUTOPLT ON ALT HOLD WHILE I LOOKED AT THE APCH PLATE. THE ELECTRIC TRIM MALFUNCTIONED AND I LOOKED UP TO SEE THE ACFT DSNDING TOWARD 1000 AGL. I DROPPED MY APCH PLATE AND CLBED BACK 1600 AGL, BUT, IN THE CONFUSION AND DARKNESS I WAS NOW LOOKING AT THE WRONG APCH PLATE. A MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOPLT STARTED A SERIES OF EVENTS: A) BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE INBND R FOR A VOR APCH TOO CLOSE TO THE FIANL DSCNT POINT GAVE LITTLE TIME TO CORRECT MY MISTAKE OR PROB. B) THE APCH PLATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE BOOK AND PLACED IN THE CLIP ON MY PANEL. C) I SHOULD HAVE STUDIED THE APCH PLATE SOONER. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED BY SCANNING THE GAUGES AND AN ALERT CTLR WHO ADVISED ME OF HIS OBSERVATIONS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.