Non compliance with ATC instruction regarding maintaining altitude until established on final.

Attributes
ACN	143822
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 755
ASRS Report	143822
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying southbound down the hudson river (as instructed by ny approach) at 2500' MSL, 240 KIAS, ny approach advised us to report the field (lga) in sight. We were abeam the approach end of runway 13 (lga) when the captain (PNF) report lga in sight to approach (we both had lga in sight at this time). Ny approach cleared us for a visibility approach to lga runway 04 with the restriction not to descend below 2500' until on final. At this time approach handed us over to lga tower. My intention, as PF, was to turn base when abeam 'peths' ILS 04 LOM. This would give us the time to reduce to final approach speed and allow for a normal descent for landing. When over the south end of central park (which is inside 'peths') the captain instructed, 'go ahead and turn toward the airport'. I replied, 'but ATC wants us at 2500' until on final'. The captain did not respond to my query and I felt I had to comply to his instruction as he made initial contact with lga tower. I started a left (note-runway 04 is no longer insight by me and as first officer I felt 'in the middle' between ATC and the captain.) turn (base leg) and runway 04 comes into sight. Knowing at this airspeed and altitude I would have to start, both a reduction of airspeed and descent (to prevent overshooting the runway) I initiate both. To follow the captain's instructions the PF would have to start an immediate descent while reducing airspeed to prevent overshooting the runway. When approximately 2200' MSL, lga tower questions us of our last assigned altitude. The captain replies '2500'' the captain now says to me, 'you trying to get me violated?' I did not answer (I was mad and it was not the time to argue). Lga tower tells us not to descend below 2500' until east of the east river and clears us to land. (At this time we were below 2500' and east of the east river). G/south (landing checklist complete) and approximately reference plus 30 KIAS. I slipped the plane and landed within the T/D zone. Tower said nothing further about this incident after landing. Note: approximately 1 mi from approach end of runway 04 the 'GPWS' sounded to a high rate of descent. 'Peths' is 3.9 DME from approach end of runway 04. G/south crossing is 1319' MSL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON COMPLIANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTION REGARDING MAINTAINING ALT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON FINAL.

Narrative: FLYING SBND DOWN THE HUDSON RIVER (AS INSTRUCTED BY NY APCH) AT 2500' MSL, 240 KIAS, NY APCH ADVISED US TO RPT THE FIELD (LGA) IN SIGHT. WE WERE ABEAM THE APCH END OF RWY 13 (LGA) WHEN THE CAPT (PNF) RPT LGA IN SIGHT TO APCH (WE BOTH HAD LGA IN SIGHT AT THIS TIME). NY APCH CLRED US FOR A VIS APCH TO LGA RWY 04 WITH THE RESTRICTION NOT TO DSND BELOW 2500' UNTIL ON FINAL. AT THIS TIME APCH HANDED US OVER TO LGA TWR. MY INTENTION, AS PF, WAS TO TURN BASE WHEN ABEAM 'PETHS' ILS 04 LOM. THIS WOULD GIVE US THE TIME TO REDUCE TO FINAL APCH SPD AND ALLOW FOR A NORMAL DSNT FOR LNDG. WHEN OVER THE S END OF CENTRAL PARK (WHICH IS INSIDE 'PETHS') THE CAPT INSTRUCTED, 'GO AHEAD AND TURN TOWARD THE ARPT'. I REPLIED, 'BUT ATC WANTS US AT 2500' UNTIL ON FINAL'. THE CAPT DID NOT RESPOND TO MY QUERY AND I FELT I HAD TO COMPLY TO HIS INSTRUCTION AS HE MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH LGA TWR. I STARTED A L (NOTE-RWY 04 IS NO LONGER INSIGHT BY ME AND AS F/O I FELT 'IN THE MIDDLE' BTWN ATC AND THE CAPT.) TURN (BASE LEG) AND RWY 04 COMES INTO SIGHT. KNOWING AT THIS AIRSPD AND ALT I WOULD HAVE TO START, BOTH A REDUCTION OF AIRSPD AND DSNT (TO PREVENT OVERSHOOTING THE RWY) I INITIATE BOTH. TO FOLLOW THE CAPT'S INSTRUCTIONS THE PF WOULD HAVE TO START AN IMMEDIATE DSNT WHILE REDUCING AIRSPD TO PREVENT OVERSHOOTING THE RWY. WHEN APPROX 2200' MSL, LGA TWR QUESTIONS US OF OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT. THE CAPT REPLIES '2500'' THE CAPT NOW SAYS TO ME, 'YOU TRYING TO GET ME VIOLATED?' I DID NOT ANSWER (I WAS MAD AND IT WAS NOT THE TIME TO ARGUE). LGA TWR TELLS US NOT TO DSND BELOW 2500' UNTIL E OF THE E RIVER AND CLRS US TO LAND. (AT THIS TIME WE WERE BELOW 2500' AND E OF THE E RIVER). G/S (LNDG CHKLIST COMPLETE) AND APPROX REF PLUS 30 KIAS. I SLIPPED THE PLANE AND LANDED WITHIN THE T/D ZONE. TWR SAID NOTHING FURTHER ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AFTER LNDG. NOTE: APPROX 1 MI FROM APCH END OF RWY 04 THE 'GPWS' SOUNDED TO A HIGH RATE OF DSNT. 'PETHS' IS 3.9 DME FROM APCH END OF RWY 04. G/S XING IS 1319' MSL.

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.