Airport WX minimums for landing completely busted in cftt or CFIT during IAP localizer approach.

Attributes
ACN	246969
Time
Date	199307
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse tower : pae
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	246969
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 4000
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : ground critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

There were 3 pilots on board. The PIC was a 4000 hour charter pilot. The right front passenger was a cfii with approximately 550 hours. I was sitting in the back seat and am a cfii with 450 hours. The PIC appeared to be a little slow on his IFR procedures (forgetting to set transponder until after takeoff and reminded by center, missed a few radio calls, descending below published minimums, i.e., appeared to be rusty). On the initial segment of the approach I informed the PIC that the GS on the ILS runway 16R appeared to be inoperative. That raised minimums to 1100 ft MSL. On the approach we descended immediately for 1100 ft looking for the surface. Upon reaching 1100 ft the PIC continued down below this altitude. We were on the localizer so I felt fairly comfortable with descending a bit lower since I knew there was a small valley leading to the runway. I expected him to level at 765 ft (the ILS minimums) but he continued on through to approximately 550-630 ft MSL. (I'm not sure which, the other passenger and I discussed it and I believe I saw 550 ft as the lowest indication while he said 630 ft.) either way the airport elevation is 606 ft. As we reached 765 ft, I realized the PIC was not initiating a go around or level off procedure. I started to tap the cfii in the front seat rather than saying anything on the intercom. As we reached 550 ft I noticed the outlines of trees being backlit at our altitude and started yelling for a climb. Obviously we made it. We climbed to 800 ft, broke out right over the numbers, and landed. The problem arose because we had a PIC who was not as current as he should have been. We also had 2 people (cfii) who did not speak up when we should have. The discovery was more or less imminent. We were obviously too low and the climb out corrected it. I believe that all 3 pilots were at fault for not being more assertive and aware. We pushed our limits past the point of safety. Luckily, we got out of it all right.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT WX MINIMUMS FOR LNDG COMPLETELY BUSTED IN CFTT OR CFIT DURING IAP LOC APCH.

Narrative: THERE WERE 3 PLTS ON BOARD. THE PIC WAS A 4000 HR CHARTER PLT. THE R FRONT PAX WAS A CFII WITH APPROX 550 HRS. I WAS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT AND AM A CFII WITH 450 HRS. THE PIC APPEARED TO BE A LITTLE SLOW ON HIS IFR PROCS (FORGETTING TO SET XPONDER UNTIL AFTER TKOF AND REMINDED BY CTR, MISSED A FEW RADIO CALLS, DSNDING BELOW PUBLISHED MINIMUMS, I.E., APPEARED TO BE RUSTY). ON THE INITIAL SEGMENT OF THE APCH I INFORMED THE PIC THAT THE GS ON THE ILS RWY 16R APPEARED TO BE INOP. THAT RAISED MINIMUMS TO 1100 FT MSL. ON THE APCH WE DSNDED IMMEDIATELY FOR 1100 FT LOOKING FOR THE SURFACE. UPON REACHING 1100 FT THE PIC CONTINUED DOWN BELOW THIS ALT. WE WERE ON THE LOC SO I FELT FAIRLY COMFORTABLE WITH DSNDING A BIT LOWER SINCE I KNEW THERE WAS A SMALL VALLEY LEADING TO THE RWY. I EXPECTED HIM TO LEVEL AT 765 FT (THE ILS MINIMUMS) BUT HE CONTINUED ON THROUGH TO APPROX 550-630 FT MSL. (I'M NOT SURE WHICH, THE OTHER PAX AND I DISCUSSED IT AND I BELIEVE I SAW 550 FT AS THE LOWEST INDICATION WHILE HE SAID 630 FT.) EITHER WAY THE ARPT ELEVATION IS 606 FT. AS WE REACHED 765 FT, I REALIZED THE PIC WAS NOT INITIATING A GAR OR LEVEL OFF PROC. I STARTED TO TAP THE CFII IN THE FRONT SEAT RATHER THAN SAYING ANYTHING ON THE INTERCOM. AS WE REACHED 550 FT I NOTICED THE OUTLINES OF TREES BEING BACKLIT AT OUR ALT AND STARTED YELLING FOR A CLB. OBVIOUSLY WE MADE IT. WE CLBED TO 800 FT, BROKE OUT RIGHT OVER THE NUMBERS, AND LANDED. THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE WE HAD A PIC WHO WAS NOT AS CURRENT AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. WE ALSO HAD 2 PEOPLE (CFII) WHO DID NOT SPEAK UP WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE. THE DISCOVERY WAS MORE OR LESS IMMINENT. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY TOO LOW AND THE CLB OUT CORRECTED IT. I BELIEVE THAT ALL 3 PLTS WERE AT FAULT FOR NOT BEING MORE ASSERTIVE AND AWARE. WE PUSHED OUR LIMITS PAST THE POINT OF SAFETY. LUCKILY, WE GOT OUT OF IT ALL RIGHT.

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.