<< >> NASA ASRS Report 147891, June 1990

Air carrier medium large transport flight crew misinterps TRACON approach controller's clearance and descends prematurely on ILS approach.

Attributes
ACN	147891
Time
Date	199006
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 5600
ASRS Report	147891
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were given a clearance to maintain 5000' until established on the localizer cleared for the ILS runway 28R at pit. We captured the localizer then began the descent to the G/south intercept altitude of 3000'. We were approximately 16 mi out, on the descent when the approach controller asked us our altitude which was 3600'. He then told us there was traffic at 10 O'clock and 2 mi which we had in sight. He then told us to turn right to 010 degrees and climb to 5000' and that he would explain later. He later told us that the IAF crossing altitude was 5000' 13 mi out. We were at 16 mi out at 3600'. The approach continued to landing west/O further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW MISINTERPS TRACON APCH CTLR'S CLRNC AND DESCENDS PREMATURELY ON ILS APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 5000' UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 28R AT PIT. WE CAPTURED THE LOC THEN BEGAN THE DSNT TO THE G/S INTERCEPT ALT OF 3000'. WE WERE APPROX 16 MI OUT, ON THE DSNT WHEN THE APCH CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT WHICH WAS 3600'. HE THEN TOLD US THERE WAS TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI WHICH WE HAD IN SIGHT. HE THEN TOLD US TO TURN R TO 010 DEGS AND CLB TO 5000' AND THAT HE WOULD EXPLAIN LATER. HE LATER TOLD US THAT THE IAF XING ALT WAS 5000' 13 MI OUT. WE WERE AT 16 MI OUT AT 3600'. THE APCH CONTINUED TO LNDG W/O FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.