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A B757 flight crew descended through last assigned altitude while on a vector clearance. The controller intervened and then cleared the flight crew for a visual approach. Altitude deviation altitude excursion.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 330180 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sna |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sna |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1250 |
| ASRS Report | 330180 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on vector to final at sna, ILS runway 19R we were cleared to 2600 ft. Copilot was flying, the vector was leading us to a short final. We were busy slowing and configuring the aircraft in order 'to make the runway.' in our rush, we assumed we had been 'cleared for approach' but in fact when we began descent on GS, though not on localizer, approach stated, 'I see you are descending.' I said I thought we were cleared for a visual and his response was, 'cleared for visual approach.' we were in perfect position for landing, approach and landing was stable and uneventful. We did descend below 2600 ft without clearance, as neither of us recalled hearing 'cleared for approach' or 'cleared for visual.' approach was giving us a short turn on and if we had not confirmed quickly we would not have been in position to land. This I believe was the cause of confusion on our part.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B757 FLC DSNDED THROUGH LAST ASSIGNED ALT WHILE ON A VECTOR CLRNC. THE CTLR INTERVENED AND THEN CLRED THE FLC FOR A VISUAL APCH. ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION.
Narrative: WHILE ON VECTOR TO FINAL AT SNA, ILS RWY 19R WE WERE CLRED TO 2600 FT. COPLT WAS FLYING, THE VECTOR WAS LEADING US TO A SHORT FINAL. WE WERE BUSY SLOWING AND CONFIGURING THE ACFT IN ORDER 'TO MAKE THE RWY.' IN OUR RUSH, WE ASSUMED WE HAD BEEN 'CLRED FOR APCH' BUT IN FACT WHEN WE BEGAN DSCNT ON GS, THOUGH NOT ON LOC, APCH STATED, 'I SEE YOU ARE DSNDING.' I SAID I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, 'CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH.' WE WERE IN PERFECT POS FOR LNDG, APCH AND LNDG WAS STABLE AND UNEVENTFUL. WE DID DSND BELOW 2600 FT WITHOUT CLRNC, AS NEITHER OF US RECALLED HEARING 'CLRED FOR APCH' OR 'CLRED FOR VISUAL.' APCH WAS GIVING US A SHORT TURN ON AND IF WE HAD NOT CONFIRMED QUICKLY WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN POS TO LAND. THIS I BELIEVE WAS THE CAUSE OF CONFUSION ON OUR PART.
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.