<< >> NASA ASRS Report 325010, January 1996

The flight crew of a corporate jet received a safety alert from the tower when they descended below the published intermediate approach segment altitude on a non precision approach.

Attributes
ACN	325010
Time
Date	199601
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : smo
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	325010
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
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:

We were radar vectored to the smo VOR 'a' final at 3000 ft MSL outside of the bevey fix. The WX was clear with good visibility for the los angeles area. We were cleared for the approach and directed to contact smo tower. We turned onto final and descended to about 2400 ft MSL, when tower told us an altitude alert sounded and the minimum altitude was 2600 ft MSL till bevey intersection. We climbed back to 2600 ft MSL and completed the approach. Because of the good WX, the entire approach was basically flown visually. Looking outside for other traffic had a high priority. This problem could be prevented in the future by deciding early on whether to fly the approach IFR or VFR. If the WX is good enough to fly a visual approach, I would cancel the IFR clearance, otherwise I would brief to fly the approach as published and make sure the copilot is looking outside.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC OF A CORPORATE JET RECEIVED A SAFETY ALERT FROM THE TWR WHEN THEY DSNDED BELOW THE PUBLISHED INTERMEDIATE APCH SEGMENT ALT ON A NON PRECISION APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE RADAR VECTORED TO THE SMO VOR 'A' FINAL AT 3000 FT MSL OUTSIDE OF THE BEVEY FIX. THE WX WAS CLR WITH GOOD VISIBILITY FOR THE LOS ANGELES AREA. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND DIRECTED TO CONTACT SMO TWR. WE TURNED ONTO FINAL AND DSNDED TO ABOUT 2400 FT MSL, WHEN TWR TOLD US AN ALT ALERT SOUNDED AND THE MINIMUM ALT WAS 2600 FT MSL TILL BEVEY INTXN. WE CLBED BACK TO 2600 FT MSL AND COMPLETED THE APCH. BECAUSE OF THE GOOD WX, THE ENTIRE APCH WAS BASICALLY FLOWN VISUALLY. LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR OTHER TFC HAD A HIGH PRIORITY. THIS PROB COULD BE PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE BY DECIDING EARLY ON WHETHER TO FLY THE APCH IFR OR VFR. IF THE WX IS GOOD ENOUGH TO FLY A VISUAL APCH, I WOULD CANCEL THE IFR CLRNC, OTHERWISE I WOULD BRIEF TO FLY THE APCH AS PUBLISHED AND MAKE SURE THE COPLT IS LOOKING OUTSIDE.

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.