Altitude deviation leaving cruise altitude without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	295986
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sbp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sbp tower : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	295986
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On feb/xx/95, air carrier flight cc was en route from smf to sbp. The flight departed smf at XX15L. The first officer was the PF. After paso robles VOR we were cleared the 196 degree radial outbound and were level at 9000 ft MSL. While on the radial the captain reported to ZLA that the airport was in sight and requested a visual approach. We were cleared for the visual approach and began our descent. The WX was VFR. Center then advised traffic at our 11 O'clock position. The captain observed the traffic which was no factor. We made a VFR approach to runway 29 and landed. We then contacted sbp tower and lax, area manager at palmdale, via telephone as requested.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV LEAVING CRUISE ALT WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: ON FEB/XX/95, ACR FLT CC WAS ENRTE FROM SMF TO SBP. THE FLT DEPARTED SMF AT XX15L. THE FO WAS THE PF. AFTER PASO ROBLES VOR WE WERE CLRED THE 196 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND AND WERE LEVEL AT 9000 FT MSL. WHILE ON THE RADIAL THE CAPT RPTED TO ZLA THAT THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT AND REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT. THE WX WAS VFR. CTR THEN ADVISED TFC AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. THE CAPT OBSERVED THE TFC WHICH WAS NO FACTOR. WE MADE A VFR APCH TO RWY 29 AND LANDED. WE THEN CONTACTED SBP TWR AND LAX, AREA MGR AT PALMDALE, VIA TELEPHONE AS REQUESTED.

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.