Narrative:

During a training flight (indicated as such on the flight plan), IFR flight plan art-msc V-29, cruising at 7000' MSL. Cleared by bos ARTCC for a VOR approach to runway 27 at mss, ny. Initiated descent working the inrange checklist, approximately 25-30 DME west of mss VOR eastbound on V-29. We (crew-2 pilots) were discussing some cockpit items during descent and inadvertently descended below the arwy MEA of 3000, finally leveling at 1900 about 6 DME west of the VOR (initial approach altitude). Center called and asked altitude, which I (PNF) as 'level 1900.' he said MEA was 3000 and we should not have gone lower until the VOR., I responded, 'we're within 10 mi of the VOR, sorry about that. WX is clear and we're nearly over the VOR at this time, and this is a training flight.' crew discussed cancelling IFR while maneuvering for the approach. VOR approach accomplished, landing made at mss west/O further indecent. Taxied back, departed VFR runway 5, contacted center again, requested IFR clearance to uca (utica,ny). Center said 'you didn't cancel your IFR flight plan, but standby for clearance.' I responded 'we thought we did cancel on 123.87.' he asked, 'did you get a confirmation?' I couldn't remember, other than the crew discussing it, as mentioned above. IFR clearance was issued and we proceeded west/O further incident. Contributing factors. Training flight environment. PF inexperienced/low experience in aircraft type. Distrs in the cockpit, ie, checklists, questions about cockpit items (aircraft systems, pilot briefings, looking for other traffic, communications on 2 radios; ATC and unicom at mss) etc. Very busy in cockpit during descent phase of flight, ie, discussing approval procedures, ATC. Not on autoplt. Altitude alert system was not set, as it was a distraction during our previous flight training maneuvers, ie stalls, turns, etc, takeoffs and lndgs at airport. Corrective actions. Both pilots be more aware of altitude, ie, altitude callouts, this is normally done as SOP. We were both distraction by other things, as mentioned above. Fortunately we were in VMC and were visly aware of ground and obstacle clearance. Had conditions been IMC we would have been more attentive to altitude. Set altitude alerting system, even though VMC. Should have called ARTCC on phone after landing to discuss.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLEARED FOR VOR RWY 27 APCH AT MSS, CPR MLG FLT CREW ON TRAINING FLT DESCENDS BELOW MEA OF V29.

Narrative: DURING A TRNING FLT (INDICATED AS SUCH ON THE FLT PLAN), IFR FLT PLAN ART-MSC V-29, CRUISING AT 7000' MSL. CLRED BY BOS ARTCC FOR A VOR APCH TO RWY 27 AT MSS, NY. INITIATED DSNT WORKING THE INRANGE CHKLIST, APPROX 25-30 DME W OF MSS VOR EBND ON V-29. WE (CREW-2 PLTS) WERE DISCUSSING SOME COCKPIT ITEMS DURING DSNT AND INADVERTENTLY DSNDED BELOW THE ARWY MEA OF 3000, FINALLY LEVELING AT 1900 ABOUT 6 DME W OF THE VOR (INITIAL APCH ALT). CTR CALLED AND ASKED ALT, WHICH I (PNF) AS 'LEVEL 1900.' HE SAID MEA WAS 3000 AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE LOWER UNTIL THE VOR., I RESPONDED, 'WE'RE WITHIN 10 MI OF THE VOR, SORRY ABOUT THAT. WX IS CLR AND WE'RE NEARLY OVER THE VOR AT THIS TIME, AND THIS IS A TRNING FLT.' CREW DISCUSSED CANCELLING IFR WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE APCH. VOR APCH ACCOMPLISHED, LNDG MADE AT MSS W/O FURTHER INDECENT. TAXIED BACK, DEPARTED VFR RWY 5, CONTACTED CTR AGAIN, REQUESTED IFR CLRNC TO UCA (UTICA,NY). CTR SAID 'YOU DIDN'T CANCEL YOUR IFR FLT PLAN, BUT STANDBY FOR CLRNC.' I RESPONDED 'WE THOUGHT WE DID CANCEL ON 123.87.' HE ASKED, 'DID YOU GET A CONFIRMATION?' I COULDN'T REMEMBER, OTHER THAN THE CREW DISCUSSING IT, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. IFR CLRNC WAS ISSUED AND WE PROCEEDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. TRNING FLT ENVIRONMENT. PF INEXPERIENCED/LOW EXPERIENCE IN ACFT TYPE. DISTRS IN THE COCKPIT, IE, CHKLISTS, QUESTIONS ABOUT COCKPIT ITEMS (ACFT SYSTEMS, PLT BRIEFINGS, LOOKING FOR OTHER TFC, COMS ON 2 RADIOS; ATC AND UNICOM AT MSS) ETC. VERY BUSY IN COCKPIT DURING DSNT PHASE OF FLT, IE, DISCUSSING APPROVAL PROCS, ATC. NOT ON AUTOPLT. ALT ALERT SYS WAS NOT SET, AS IT WAS A DISTR DURING OUR PREVIOUS FLT TRNING MANEUVERS, IE STALLS, TURNS, ETC, TKOFS AND LNDGS AT ARPT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. BOTH PLTS BE MORE AWARE OF ALT, IE, ALT CALLOUTS, THIS IS NORMALLY DONE AS SOP. WE WERE BOTH DISTR BY OTHER THINGS, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. FORTUNATELY WE WERE IN VMC AND WERE VISLY AWARE OF GND AND OBSTACLE CLRNC. HAD CONDITIONS BEEN IMC WE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ATTENTIVE TO ALT. SET ALT ALERTING SYS, EVEN THOUGH VMC. SHOULD HAVE CALLED ARTCC ON PHONE AFTER LNDG TO DISCUSS.

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.