Narrative:

We were given a clearance to 5000 ft and to expect a visual approach to hagerstown airport. Company traffic had just departed and we were told to expect a visual after company traffic was no factor. Traffic was reported at 12 O'clock. The captain and myself were both looking and spotted the traffic passing below us off our right side approximately 2000 ft below and a mi away. The airport was off our left side and approximately 5 mi. To verify our visual approach, the captain called ZDC. The controller told us 'negative.' our present altitude was 4500 ft. I pwred up and returned to 5000 ft. Total time below 5000 ft was 25 seconds. Once we reached 5000 ft we were then given a clearance for a visual approach into hagerstown. I believe the lack of communication that led to the event was caused by fatigue. We were on the third day of a trip. We were on compensated rest. It was our 6TH leg, over 7TH hour of flight and 12TH hour of duty with 2 more legs to fly. Total flight that day was 8 hour 40 mins, and duty time was 14 hours, without any more occurrences. The part 135 rest requirements need to be addressed. Supplemental information from acn 271762: we were approaching hgr airport from the west, and cleared to maintain 5000 ft MSL for traffic at 4000 departing hgr to the west. We were anticipating a visual approach to runway 27. I was the PNF and left center frequency to contact operations in range to complete our approach checklist. When I returned to the frequency, the PF had descended through 4600 MSL and I asked if we had therefore been cleared for the visual approach: he replied that he was unsure. I then, immediately queried ATC as to whether we had indeed been cleared for a visual and was told 'negative' due to outbound traffic. The important point, I believe, is this. Both the first officer and myself are very safety minded and conscientious about our jobs, but this was an 8 leg day, which was unrealistically blocked to 7:05. This was our 6TH leg and we had been on duty for 11 hours, and were quickly becoming quite fatigued. We went on to finish the day with 14:20 duty and over blocked to 8:40 mins.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING DSCNT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO 5000 FT AND TO EXPECT A VISUAL APCH TO HAGERSTOWN ARPT. COMPANY TFC HAD JUST DEPARTED AND WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT A VISUAL AFTER COMPANY TFC WAS NO FACTOR. TFC WAS RPTED AT 12 O'CLOCK. THE CAPT AND MYSELF WERE BOTH LOOKING AND SPOTTED THE TFC PASSING BELOW US OFF OUR R SIDE APPROX 2000 FT BELOW AND A MI AWAY. THE ARPT WAS OFF OUR L SIDE AND APPROX 5 MI. TO VERIFY OUR VISUAL APCH, THE CAPT CALLED ZDC. THE CTLR TOLD US 'NEGATIVE.' OUR PRESENT ALT WAS 4500 FT. I PWRED UP AND RETURNED TO 5000 FT. TOTAL TIME BELOW 5000 FT WAS 25 SECONDS. ONCE WE REACHED 5000 FT WE WERE THEN GIVEN A CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH INTO HAGERSTOWN. I BELIEVE THE LACK OF COM THAT LED TO THE EVENT WAS CAUSED BY FATIGUE. WE WERE ON THE THIRD DAY OF A TRIP. WE WERE ON COMPENSATED REST. IT WAS OUR 6TH LEG, OVER 7TH HR OF FLT AND 12TH HR OF DUTY WITH 2 MORE LEGS TO FLY. TOTAL FLT THAT DAY WAS 8 HR 40 MINS, AND DUTY TIME WAS 14 HRS, WITHOUT ANY MORE OCCURRENCES. THE PART 135 REST REQUIREMENTS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 271762: WE WERE APCHING HGR ARPT FROM THE W, AND CLRED TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT MSL FOR TFC AT 4000 DEPARTING HGR TO THE W. WE WERE ANTICIPATING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 27. I WAS THE PNF AND L CTR FREQ TO CONTACT OPS IN RANGE TO COMPLETE OUR APCH CHKLIST. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE FREQ, THE PF HAD DSNDED THROUGH 4600 MSL AND I ASKED IF WE HAD THEREFORE BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH: HE REPLIED THAT HE WAS UNSURE. I THEN, IMMEDIATELY QUERIED ATC AS TO WHETHER WE HAD INDEED BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL AND WAS TOLD 'NEGATIVE' DUE TO OUTBOUND TFC. THE IMPORTANT POINT, I BELIEVE, IS THIS. BOTH THE FO AND MYSELF ARE VERY SAFETY MINDED AND CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT OUR JOBS, BUT THIS WAS AN 8 LEG DAY, WHICH WAS UNREALISTICALLY BLOCKED TO 7:05. THIS WAS OUR 6TH LEG AND WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 11 HRS, AND WERE QUICKLY BECOMING QUITE FATIGUED. WE WENT ON TO FINISH THE DAY WITH 14:20 DUTY AND OVER BLOCKED TO 8:40 MINS.

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.