Narrative:

We were at 3500 ft, flying up hudson river for the 'river visual runway 13 lga.' we were then cleared to fly this approach. Our approach plate specifies 'remain above 2000 ft as long as possible' but no other altitude restrs. (The 'FMS approach runway 13 ft specifies 3500 ft till central park, but not the approach we were cleared for). Once cleared for approach, I descended out of 3500 ft for 2000 ft. Passing approximately 2500 ft, center told us we were not cleared for lower and to climb back to 3500 ft. He later said there was no conflict but it was too low for area. If this is true, there should be a 3500 ft restr on the 'river visual runway 13 lga.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the B-757 for a major air carrier. His company publishes an 'FMS approach, runway 13' that is not in the commercially available or the govt issued approach plates. The commercial and govt plates make no mention of 3500 ft on the river visual approach. Both pilots agreed that, when 'cleared for the river visual approach,' they were cleared down to 2000 ft. The captain of this trip called N90 after landing and talked to the controller who agreed that there was no formal restr. The controller didn't want the people in the empire state building to be alarmed. Many of the passenger were alarmed when they noticed the addition of power and the sudden climb, only to descend immediately. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: quality assurance specialist stated the reporter is correct. He can descend to 2000 ft. Specialist stated normally a 3500 ft restr is added to the clearance to protect ewr departures. No change to the river visual runway 13 approach is forthcoming.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B-757 FLEW LOWER THAN N90 EXPECTED PAST THE WORLD TRADE CTR.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 3500 FT, FLYING UP HUDSON RIVER FOR THE 'RIVER VISUAL RWY 13 LGA.' WE WERE THEN CLRED TO FLY THIS APCH. OUR APCH PLATE SPECIFIES 'REMAIN ABOVE 2000 FT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE' BUT NO OTHER ALT RESTRS. (THE 'FMS APCH RWY 13 FT SPECIFIES 3500 FT TILL CENTRAL PARK, BUT NOT THE APCH WE WERE CLRED FOR). ONCE CLRED FOR APCH, I DSNDED OUT OF 3500 FT FOR 2000 FT. PASSING APPROX 2500 FT, CTR TOLD US WE WERE NOT CLRED FOR LOWER AND TO CLB BACK TO 3500 FT. HE LATER SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT BUT IT WAS TOO LOW FOR AREA. IF THIS IS TRUE, THERE SHOULD BE A 3500 FT RESTR ON THE 'RIVER VISUAL RWY 13 LGA.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B-757 FOR A MAJOR ACR. HIS COMPANY PUBLISHES AN 'FMS APCH, RWY 13' THAT IS NOT IN THE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE OR THE GOVT ISSUED APCH PLATES. THE COMMERCIAL AND GOVT PLATES MAKE NO MENTION OF 3500 FT ON THE RIVER VISUAL APCH. BOTH PLTS AGREED THAT, WHEN 'CLRED FOR THE RIVER VISUAL APCH,' THEY WERE CLRED DOWN TO 2000 FT. THE CAPT OF THIS TRIP CALLED N90 AFTER LNDG AND TALKED TO THE CTLR WHO AGREED THAT THERE WAS NO FORMAL RESTR. THE CTLR DIDN'T WANT THE PEOPLE IN THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING TO BE ALARMED. MANY OF THE PAX WERE ALARMED WHEN THEY NOTICED THE ADDITION OF PWR AND THE SUDDEN CLB, ONLY TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST STATED THE RPTR IS CORRECT. HE CAN DSND TO 2000 FT. SPECIALIST STATED NORMALLY A 3500 FT RESTR IS ADDED TO THE CLRNC TO PROTECT EWR DEPS. NO CHANGE TO THE RIVER VISUAL RWY 13 APCH IS FORTHCOMING.

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.