First officer of a corp turboprop descends prior to intercepting the localizer at bhm. He attributes...

Attributes
ACN	139627
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2650 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm tracon : mgm
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : roe
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 5688 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	139627
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to an intercept heading for the localizer 23 and to descend and maintain 3000' until established on the approach. I descended through 3000' about 15 seconds prior to localizer alive on the approach. I stopped descent at 2650' and recovered to 2850 prior to becoming established on the approach. We are well trained and always fly with 2 pilots. All our pilots are very experienced. The other pilot (the captain) should have stopped me sooner (although I take responsibility) but he wasn't even sure of what the clearance was. I was confused about what heading we were cleared to and while I was preoccupied with that I went through the altitude. I was probably close enough to the final approach course that it was ok, but it was very sloppy flying on my part. Also, this particular day, the other pilot was preoccupied all day, forgetting checklists, and missing clrncs. This is one reason I am reporting this. Although I believe in 2 pilot cockpits, when one pilot is not doing his/her job, it creates, I believe, a more dangerous situation than a single pilot operation. We were dealing with IFR and severe WX in the area all day and a typical multi-leg schedule, the completion of which was in doubt. I should have adjusted more quickly and completely to the lack of presence by the other pilot. Also, I should have relied more on the autoplt rather than hand flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A CORP TURBOPROP DESCENDS PRIOR TO INTERCEPTING THE LOCALIZER AT BHM. HE ATTRIBUTES PART OF THE PROBLEM TO THE CAPT'S LACK OF PARTICIPATION IN COCKPIT DUTIES.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO AN INTERCEPT HDG FOR THE LOC 23 AND TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000' UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH. I DESCENDED THROUGH 3000' ABOUT 15 SECONDS PRIOR TO LOC ALIVE ON THE APCH. I STOPPED DSCNT AT 2650' AND RECOVERED TO 2850 PRIOR TO BECOMING ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH. WE ARE WELL TRAINED AND ALWAYS FLY WITH 2 PLTS. ALL OUR PLTS ARE VERY EXPERIENCED. THE OTHER PLT (THE CAPT) SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ME SOONER (ALTHOUGH I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY) BUT HE WASN'T EVEN SURE OF WHAT THE CLRNC WAS. I WAS CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT HDG WE WERE CLRED TO AND WHILE I WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THAT I WENT THROUGH THE ALT. I WAS PROBABLY CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE THAT IT WAS OK, BUT IT WAS VERY SLOPPY FLYING ON MY PART. ALSO, THIS PARTICULAR DAY, THE OTHER PLT WAS PREOCCUPIED ALL DAY, FORGETTING CHECKLISTS, AND MISSING CLRNCS. THIS IS ONE REASON I AM REPORTING THIS. ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE IN 2 PLT COCKPITS, WHEN ONE PLT IS NOT DOING HIS/HER JOB, IT CREATES, I BELIEVE, A MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION THAN A SINGLE PLT OPERATION. WE WERE DEALING WITH IFR AND SEVERE WX IN THE AREA ALL DAY AND A TYPICAL MULTI-LEG SCHEDULE, THE COMPLETION OF WHICH WAS IN DOUBT. I SHOULD HAVE ADJUSTED MORE QUICKLY AND COMPLETELY TO THE LACK OF PRESENCE BY THE OTHER PLT. ALSO, I SHOULD HAVE RELIED MORE ON THE AUTOPLT RATHER THAN HAND FLYING.

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.

First officer of a corp turboprop descends prior to intercepting the localizer at bhm. He attributes part of the problem to the captain's lack of participation in cockpit duties.