Altitude deviation altitude excursion.

Attributes
ACN	167579
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bzn
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10800 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ont
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zlc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	167579
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 600
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance 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:

On this flight from gtf to bzn the PF tt 3000 hour, 600 hour time in type, had been recently upgraded to captain. I am the company chief pilot acting as copilot (PNF). Cruising at FL190 we were cleared to 15000' and began our descent. While I was completing the descent checklist we were cleared for the approach to the bzn airport. The PF asked me if we were cleared for the approach, I advised we were and completed the checklist. I noticed then that we were passing through 11000' and questioned why we were so low AGL 30 DME from our destination. He replied we were cleared for the approach and he had a G/south indication. We were visibility at this time. I told him not to descend any lower. He stopped the descent at 10800' in visibility conditions just as center called and asked us our altitude. I told the controller 10800'. He told us to return to 12000' which we did. I then asked the controller to repeat our clearance. It was 'cleared for the approach to the bzn airport, cross the bzn VOR at 12000'.' this time west/O distraction we both heard, understood the clearance and complied with it. What we both had previously missed was, cross the bzn VOR at 12000'. The PF knew runway 12 was the active runway at bzn and since we were heading 150 degrees, he thought we were cleared to intercept the runway 12 ILS. The G/south indication he was receiving was erroneous and he decided to begin his descent prior to having a localizer capture. We were in visibility conditions which led to my becoming complacent and not mentally flying the airplane as I should have been. After landing we discussed all problems, misconceptions, mistakes and potential ramifications that occurred on this flight. We are two professional pilot's that attend recurrent training semi-annually. This consists of ground school and stage ii simulator training. It is obvious to me that we have to work even harder to improve cockpit management, eliminate complacency and assign priorities while in our flying environment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT DEVIATION ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: ON THIS FLT FROM GTF TO BZN THE PF TT 3000 HR, 600 HR TIME IN TYPE, HAD BEEN RECENTLY UPGRADED TO CAPT. I AM THE COMPANY CHIEF PLT ACTING AS COPLT (PNF). CRUISING AT FL190 WE WERE CLRED TO 15000' AND BEGAN OUR DSNT. WHILE I WAS COMPLETING THE DSNT CHKLIST WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH TO THE BZN ARPT. THE PF ASKED ME IF WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, I ADVISED WE WERE AND COMPLETED THE CHKLIST. I NOTICED THEN THAT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 11000' AND QUESTIONED WHY WE WERE SO LOW AGL 30 DME FROM OUR DEST. HE REPLIED WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND HE HAD A G/S INDICATION. WE WERE VIS AT THIS TIME. I TOLD HIM NOT TO DSND ANY LOWER. HE STOPPED THE DSNT AT 10800' IN VIS CONDITIONS JUST AS CTR CALLED AND ASKED US OUR ALT. I TOLD THE CTLR 10800'. HE TOLD US TO RETURN TO 12000' WHICH WE DID. I THEN ASKED THE CTLR TO REPEAT OUR CLRNC. IT WAS 'CLRED FOR THE APCH TO THE BZN ARPT, CROSS THE BZN VOR AT 12000'.' THIS TIME W/O DISTR WE BOTH HEARD, UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC AND COMPLIED WITH IT. WHAT WE BOTH HAD PREVIOUSLY MISSED WAS, CROSS THE BZN VOR AT 12000'. THE PF KNEW RWY 12 WAS THE ACTIVE RWY AT BZN AND SINCE WE WERE HDG 150 DEGS, HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 12 ILS. THE G/S INDICATION HE WAS RECEIVING WAS ERRONEOUS AND HE DECIDED TO BEGIN HIS DSNT PRIOR TO HAVING A LOC CAPTURE. WE WERE IN VIS CONDITIONS WHICH LED TO MY BECOMING COMPLACENT AND NOT MENTALLY FLYING THE AIRPLANE AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN. AFTER LNDG WE DISCUSSED ALL PROBS, MISCONCEPTIONS, MISTAKES AND POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS THAT OCCURRED ON THIS FLT. WE ARE TWO PROFESSIONAL PLT'S THAT ATTEND RECURRENT TRNING SEMI-ANNUALLY. THIS CONSISTS OF GND SCHOOL AND STAGE II SIMULATOR TRNING. IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT WE HAVE TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO IMPROVE COCKPIT MGMNT, ELIMINATE COMPLACENCY AND ASSIGN PRIORITIES WHILE IN OUR FLYING ENVIRONMENT.

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.