Medium large transport flight crew on approach vectors descends below assigned. TCASII RA sounds as ...

Attributes
ACN	211425
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur artcc : zhn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	211425
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Vectors for visual approach at bur. Vectored for final to bur runway 15 final. Told to maintain 5000 ft and report field in sight. Visibility approximately 4-6 in haze and smoke. Approximately 7- 8 NM from bur, ATC gave TA about 1000 ft below us and 1 mi at 12 O'clock. We had the traffic on TCASII but not visually. ATC supervisor called and said we were assigned 5000 ft till reporting field in sight and he showed us at 4000 ft. We previously had leveled at 5000 ft which I had dialed in on the mode control panel (MCP). I was watching outside for the traffic and the airport. I looked at the altimeters and they displayed approximately 4000 ft. I looked at the MCP and it was set to 0000. The captain had spun the MCP altitude selector to 0000 and begun a gradual descent without telling me. (Company SOP says the PF may not touch the MCP altitude selector at any time.) I said '5000 is assigned.' he said ' I thought you called airport in sight.' I told ATC 'field in sight.' he responded with cleared for visual to runway 15. Just then we got a TCASII RA of 'climb, climb now.' the captain flew to maintain 500 ft separation on TCASII. I reminded him response to an RA is mandatory not optional. Clear of the traffic in the RA we had 2 more aircraft about 1500 ft on TCASII below us and he remained high to avoid them. Turning final we were high and configured to 40 flaps too late for a stabilized approach. At 1000 ft we called 'going around.' tower said 'enter right downwind for runway 8, cleared to land.' on downwind I told the captain twice that he was too close to the runway but he didn't turn left to widen the downwind. I told him to call for 30 flaps, slow down and turn tight as possible to final. I twice had to advise him he was over 35 degree of bank. We still went through final by 1/4 mi. Landing was normal. Air carriers should not be allowed to request 15 visual at bur unless visibility is 10 plus and not on weekends when all the small planes are up and trying to avoid the arsa. Pilots must adhere to SOP on use of MCP. I won't request 15 visual approach on hazy weekends ever again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC ON APCH VECTORS DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED. TCASII RA SOUNDS AS CTLR QUERIES ALT. CAPT HAD STARTED DSCNT, CAUSED RA, HAD TO RESPOND.

Narrative: VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH AT BUR. VECTORED FOR FINAL TO BUR RWY 15 FINAL. TOLD TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT AND RPT FIELD IN SIGHT. VISIBILITY APPROX 4-6 IN HAZE AND SMOKE. APPROX 7- 8 NM FROM BUR, ATC GAVE TA ABOUT 1000 FT BELOW US AND 1 MI AT 12 O'CLOCK. WE HAD THE TFC ON TCASII BUT NOT VISUALLY. ATC SUPVR CALLED AND SAID WE WERE ASSIGNED 5000 FT TILL RPTING FIELD IN SIGHT AND HE SHOWED US AT 4000 FT. WE PREVIOUSLY HAD LEVELED AT 5000 FT WHICH I HAD DIALED IN ON THE MODE CTL PANEL (MCP). I WAS WATCHING OUTSIDE FOR THE TFC AND THE ARPT. I LOOKED AT THE ALTIMETERS AND THEY DISPLAYED APPROX 4000 FT. I LOOKED AT THE MCP AND IT WAS SET TO 0000. THE CAPT HAD SPUN THE MCP ALT SELECTOR TO 0000 AND BEGUN A GRADUAL DSCNT WITHOUT TELLING ME. (COMPANY SOP SAYS THE PF MAY NOT TOUCH THE MCP ALT SELECTOR AT ANY TIME.) I SAID '5000 IS ASSIGNED.' HE SAID ' I THOUGHT YOU CALLED ARPT IN SIGHT.' I TOLD ATC 'FIELD IN SIGHT.' HE RESPONDED WITH CLRED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 15. JUST THEN WE GOT A TCASII RA OF 'CLB, CLB NOW.' THE CAPT FLEW TO MAINTAIN 500 FT SEPARATION ON TCASII. I REMINDED HIM RESPONSE TO AN RA IS MANDATORY NOT OPTIONAL. CLR OF THE TFC IN THE RA WE HAD 2 MORE ACFT ABOUT 1500 FT ON TCASII BELOW US AND HE REMAINED HIGH TO AVOID THEM. TURNING FINAL WE WERE HIGH AND CONFIGURED TO 40 FLAPS TOO LATE FOR A STABILIZED APCH. AT 1000 FT WE CALLED 'GOING AROUND.' TWR SAID 'ENTER R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 8, CLRED TO LAND.' ON DOWNWIND I TOLD THE CAPT TWICE THAT HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY BUT HE DIDN'T TURN L TO WIDEN THE DOWNWIND. I TOLD HIM TO CALL FOR 30 FLAPS, SLOW DOWN AND TURN TIGHT AS POSSIBLE TO FINAL. I TWICE HAD TO ADVISE HIM HE WAS OVER 35 DEG OF BANK. WE STILL WENT THROUGH FINAL BY 1/4 MI. LNDG WAS NORMAL. AIR CARRIERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO REQUEST 15 VISUAL AT BUR UNLESS VISIBILITY IS 10 PLUS AND NOT ON WEEKENDS WHEN ALL THE SMALL PLANES ARE UP AND TRYING TO AVOID THE ARSA. PLTS MUST ADHERE TO SOP ON USE OF MCP. I WON'T REQUEST 15 VISUAL APCH ON HAZY WEEKENDS EVER AGAIN.

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.

Medium large transport flight crew on approach vectors descends below assigned. TCASII RA sounds as controller queries altitude. Captain had started descent, caused RA, had to respond.