Flight crew fails to comply with altitude restr during VOR approach.

Attributes
ACN	326052
Time
Date	199601
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 720 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	326052
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Washington approach 124.7, XA00Z. First officer PNF reporting. ATIS was reporting lda DME 18 approach in use. Close in, ATC assigned VOR DME 18 approach. WX was 900 ft overcast 10 mi, wind 180 degrees 20 KTS. Captain quickly briefed the approach, but missed the visual descent point at map, which I pointed out later. Due to low light setting, continuous light chop, and very busy, neither of us noticed small cross at 5 DME and interpreted chart 13-3 to read bonds 10 DME is FAF. The straight descending line from bonds led us to think the descent is continuous to 706 mdh. Using standard non precision approach procedures, we began our descent at bonds. ATC advised low altitude alert at 1800 ft. I said we were over 1000 ft above our mdh. ATC said he has been getting a lot of false warnings. Said he thought it was a computer glitch. We reached mdh at about 4 DME. Only when we were parked at the gate did I catch our mistake. Due to strong head wind we were early getting down, probably 500 ft low. Chart vertical profile needs to be changed to show 5 DME FAF cross much larger and bolder. Also, descent should be shown as a series of step downs and not as a straight, continuous line.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC FAILS TO COMPLY WITH ALT RESTR DURING VOR APCH.

Narrative: WASHINGTON APCH 124.7, XA00Z. FO PNF RPTING. ATIS WAS RPTING LDA DME 18 APCH IN USE. CLOSE IN, ATC ASSIGNED VOR DME 18 APCH. WX WAS 900 FT OVCST 10 MI, WIND 180 DEGS 20 KTS. CAPT QUICKLY BRIEFED THE APCH, BUT MISSED THE VISUAL DSCNT POINT AT MAP, WHICH I POINTED OUT LATER. DUE TO LOW LIGHT SETTING, CONTINUOUS LIGHT CHOP, AND VERY BUSY, NEITHER OF US NOTICED SMALL CROSS AT 5 DME AND INTERPRETED CHART 13-3 TO READ BONDS 10 DME IS FAF. THE STRAIGHT DSNDING LINE FROM BONDS LED US TO THINK THE DSCNT IS CONTINUOUS TO 706 MDH. USING STANDARD NON PRECISION APCH PROCS, WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT AT BONDS. ATC ADVISED LOW ALT ALERT AT 1800 FT. I SAID WE WERE OVER 1000 FT ABOVE OUR MDH. ATC SAID HE HAS BEEN GETTING A LOT OF FALSE WARNINGS. SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS A COMPUTER GLITCH. WE REACHED MDH AT ABOUT 4 DME. ONLY WHEN WE WERE PARKED AT THE GATE DID I CATCH OUR MISTAKE. DUE TO STRONG HEAD WIND WE WERE EARLY GETTING DOWN, PROBABLY 500 FT LOW. CHART VERT PROFILE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO SHOW 5 DME FAF CROSS MUCH LARGER AND BOLDER. ALSO, DSCNT SHOULD BE SHOWN AS A SERIES OF STEP DOWNS AND NOT AS A STRAIGHT, CONTINUOUS LINE.

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.