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Overly anxious pilot in IMC conditions makes a premature descent in an altitude deviation altitude excursion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 201849 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lws |
| State Reference | ID |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zse |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2785 |
| ASRS Report | 201849 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Approaching lws VOR from lkt on V-520, I was given the following clearance from seattle center: 'cleared for the lewiston transition to pullman' I acknowledged cleared for the transition.' my last amended altitude assignment was 8000. The puw VOR runway 5 approach has a published transition off of the lws VOR: the lws R-277 to intercept the puw R-212 for a nopt approach. The published altitude for the transition is 4500. At lws, in adverse in-flight conditions, I began a descent. The center frequency was busy, and I did not inform them of vacating 8000, as I was on 2 published transition. At 7000 ft, center informed me I was to be maintaining 8000 and now to maintain 7000. I acknowledged the 7000 clearance but offered that I was cleared on the transition. Center responded that I was cleared to fly the profile only of the transition and had to maintain altitude, I didn't argue that 'profile' means altitude. Since 'cleared for the transition' is not in the pilot controller glossary, safety was compromised. I believe the clearance should have been 'fly out bound on lws R-277 radial, maintain 8000.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: OVERLY ANXIOUS PLT IN IMC CONDITIONS MAKES A PREMATURE DSCNT IN AN ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION.
Narrative: APCHING LWS VOR FROM LKT ON V-520, I WAS GIVEN THE FOLLOWING CLRNC FROM SEATTLE CTR: 'CLRED FOR THE LEWISTON TRANSITION TO PULLMAN' I ACKNOWLEDGED CLRED FOR THE TRANSITION.' MY LAST AMENDED ALT ASSIGNMENT WAS 8000. THE PUW VOR RWY 5 APCH HAS A PUBLISHED TRANSITION OFF OF THE LWS VOR: THE LWS R-277 TO INTERCEPT THE PUW R-212 FOR A NOPT APCH. THE PUBLISHED ALT FOR THE TRANSITION IS 4500. AT LWS, IN ADVERSE INFLT CONDITIONS, I BEGAN A DSCNT. THE CTR FREQ WAS BUSY, AND I DID NOT INFORM THEM OF VACATING 8000, AS I WAS ON 2 PUBLISHED TRANSITION. AT 7000 FT, CTR INFORMED ME I WAS TO BE MAINTAINING 8000 AND NOW TO MAINTAIN 7000. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE 7000 CLRNC BUT OFFERED THAT I WAS CLRED ON THE TRANSITION. CTR RESPONDED THAT I WAS CLRED TO FLY THE PROFILE ONLY OF THE TRANSITION AND HAD TO MAINTAIN ALT, I DIDN'T ARGUE THAT 'PROFILE' MEANS ALT. SINCE 'CLRED FOR THE TRANSITION' IS NOT IN THE PLT CTLR GLOSSARY, SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED. I BELIEVE THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN 'FLY OUT BOUND ON LWS R-277 RADIAL, MAINTAIN 8000.'
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.