Commuter first officer and captain disagree about min altitude for entering yum air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	200112
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yum
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : yum
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 2650
ASRS Report	200112
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were cleared for the visual approach into the yuma airport. The captain said we needed to enter the air traffic area at 1200 ft MSL. I replied that we had not been given the restriction to do so. The captain stated that he/she believed we must do so anyway. We entered the air traffic area at 1200 ft MSL. The airport facilities directory states that all GA and air carrier aircraft operating VFR enter the air traffic area at 1200 ft MSL. The pilot/controller glossary does not imply that a visual approach is operating under visual flight rules, but only that the cloud separation criteria of part 91 be complied with. It would be clrer if the controller(south) would give the restriction at all times or if the airport facilities directory were written so the word 'VFR' would read 'VFR or aircraft on a visual approach' -- since a visual approach is an IFR clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FO AND CAPT DISAGREE ABOUT MIN ALT FOR ENTERING YUM ATA.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH INTO THE YUMA ARPT. THE CAPT SAID WE NEEDED TO ENTER THE ATA AT 1200 FT MSL. I REPLIED THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THE RESTRICTION TO DO SO. THE CAPT STATED THAT HE/SHE BELIEVED WE MUST DO SO ANYWAY. WE ENTERED THE ATA AT 1200 FT MSL. THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY STATES THAT ALL GA AND ACR ACFT OPERATING VFR ENTER THE ATA AT 1200 FT MSL. THE PLT/CTLR GLOSSARY DOES NOT IMPLY THAT A VISUAL APCH IS OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLT RULES, BUT ONLY THAT THE CLOUD SEPARATION CRITERIA OF PART 91 BE COMPLIED WITH. IT WOULD BE CLRER IF THE CTLR(S) WOULD GIVE THE RESTRICTION AT ALL TIMES OR IF THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY WERE WRITTEN SO THE WORD 'VFR' WOULD READ 'VFR OR ACFT ON A VISUAL APCH' -- SINCE A VISUAL APCH IS AN IFR CLRNC.

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.