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Captain of light transport cpr jet descended prior to being cleared due to misunderstanding of when cleared for the approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 296145 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199502 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ric |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8700 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ric |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 296145 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2375 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 296376 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
PF leveled at 9000 ft. Altitude alerter selected to 9000 ft. Approach controller gave heading change to 120 degrees and maintain 9000 ft for visual approach. PNF began to review approach plate for ILS to runway 2 at ric. Altitude alerter went off at 8700 ft after PF began a descent for a visual approach. The approach controller had not cleared us for visual approach. ATC asked about our present altitude and PNF replied '8700 ft.' controller reassigned us 9000 ft. No traffic was in the area and no conflict had occurred. The PF had heard that we could expect 'the visual to 2.' he had misunderstood this to be a 'cleared for the visual approach' clearance had began his descent without verifying with the PNF. This was caused by the captain not following standard cockpit resources management procedure in the cockpit. Supplemental information from acn 296376: contributing factors: there was a 130 KT tailwind which made the crossing restr very tight. It got very busy and somewhat confusing at the handoff from ZDC to ric approach. Recommend factoring tailwind into crossing restr timing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF LTT CPR JET DSNDED PRIOR TO BEING CLRED DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHEN CLRED FOR THE APCH.
Narrative: PF LEVELED AT 9000 FT. ALT ALERTER SELECTED TO 9000 FT. APCH CTLR GAVE HDG CHANGE TO 120 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 9000 FT FOR VISUAL APCH. PNF BEGAN TO REVIEW APCH PLATE FOR ILS TO RWY 2 AT RIC. ALT ALERTER WENT OFF AT 8700 FT AFTER PF BEGAN A DSCNT FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE APCH CTLR HAD NOT CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH. ATC ASKED ABOUT OUR PRESENT ALT AND PNF REPLIED '8700 FT.' CTLR REASSIGNED US 9000 FT. NO TFC WAS IN THE AREA AND NO CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED. THE PF HAD HEARD THAT WE COULD EXPECT 'THE VISUAL TO 2.' HE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THIS TO BE A 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH' CLRNC HAD BEGAN HIS DSCNT WITHOUT VERIFYING WITH THE PNF. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CAPT NOT FOLLOWING STANDARD COCKPIT RESOURCES MGMNT PROC IN THE COCKPIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 296376: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THERE WAS A 130 KT TAILWIND WHICH MADE THE XING RESTR VERY TIGHT. IT GOT VERY BUSY AND SOMEWHAT CONFUSING AT THE HDOF FROM ZDC TO RIC APCH. RECOMMEND FACTORING TAILWIND INTO XING RESTR TIMING.
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.