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Air carrier B727 descended below assigned altitude during approach while looking for traffic and the airport. Altitude deviation altitude overshot.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 320190 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199511 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lga |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 3700 |
| ASRS Report | 320190 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was captain on a flight from msp to lga. On approach, dogleg to final, runway 22 at lga, we were given heading 300 degrees and descend to 2000 ft. Follow air carrier DC9-80. We were all looking for the jet (looking into late afternoon sun and reflection and shimmer glare off of the east river). I was flying the aircraft descending to 2000 ft. We just got airport in sight, and the air carrier DC9, when approach control said, 'I gave you 2000 ft.' in checking altitude, we discovered I had inadvertently descended to 1700 ft. We called airport in sight and was cleared for a visual approach, runway 22 at lga. Commercial publication page notes say 'on visual approachs to any runway, maintain 2000 ft until further descent is required for a normal approach and landing.' ATC approach control gave us an altitude of 2000 ft. I inadvertently drifted down 300 ft while looking for the DC9 and airport. Spacing, separation, or any conflict was not a problem. I should have stayed on instruments more closely for altitude assignment until officially cleared for visual approach.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR B727 DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT DURING APCH WHILE LOOKING FOR TFC AND THE ARPT. ALT DEV ALT OVERSHOT.
Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON A FLT FROM MSP TO LGA. ON APCH, DOGLEG TO FINAL, RWY 22 AT LGA, WE WERE GIVEN HDG 300 DEGS AND DSND TO 2000 FT. FOLLOW ACR DC9-80. WE WERE ALL LOOKING FOR THE JET (LOOKING INTO LATE AFTERNOON SUN AND REFLECTION AND SHIMMER GLARE OFF OF THE EAST RIVER). I WAS FLYING THE ACFT DSNDING TO 2000 FT. WE JUST GOT ARPT IN SIGHT, AND THE ACR DC9, WHEN APCH CTL SAID, 'I GAVE YOU 2000 FT.' IN CHKING ALT, WE DISCOVERED I HAD INADVERTENTLY DSNDED TO 1700 FT. WE CALLED ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, RWY 22 AT LGA. COMMERCIAL PUBLICATION PAGE NOTES SAY 'ON VISUAL APCHS TO ANY RWY, MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL FURTHER DSCNT IS REQUIRED FOR A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG.' ATC APCH CTL GAVE US AN ALT OF 2000 FT. I INADVERTENTLY DRIFTED DOWN 300 FT WHILE LOOKING FOR THE DC9 AND ARPT. SPACING, SEPARATION, OR ANY CONFLICT WAS NOT A PROB. I SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON INSTS MORE CLOSELY FOR ALT ASSIGNMENT UNTIL OFFICIALLY CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH.
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.