Corp flight crew attempting to cancel IFR descends below assigned altitude prior to making contact t...

Attributes
ACN	339861
Time
Date	199606
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msl
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme tower : phx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	339861
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 860 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	340200
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC held us quite high until we were approximately 10 mi from airport (11000 ft). ATC cleared us to 2700 ft and asked us to report airport in sight. I advised copilot to obtain airport advisory during fairly steep descent which he did receive from MSL FSS. We came under the clouds, about a 4000 ft broken layer. The airport was in sight. I attempted to monitor FSS frequency and told copilot to cancel IFR. This was at approximately 3500 ft MSL. I had positioned my audio panel switch to only hear FSS and assumed our IFR cancellation was sent and received by center. The copilot did not receive an immediate acknowledgment from center when he first transmitted. When I was turning downwind and descending for the visual approach, he finally received an acknowledgment from ATC of cancellation. In a hurry-up to get into the traffic pattern, an important acknowledgment was missed. Proper CRM would dictate to slow down and get things in the proper order before proceeding and monitoring both frequencys rather than just one would also have helped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP FLC ATTEMPTING TO CANCEL IFR DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO MAKING CONTACT TO CANCEL.

Narrative: ATC HELD US QUITE HIGH UNTIL WE WERE APPROX 10 MI FROM ARPT (11000 FT). ATC CLRED US TO 2700 FT AND ASKED US TO RPT ARPT IN SIGHT. I ADVISED COPLT TO OBTAIN ARPT ADVISORY DURING FAIRLY STEEP DSCNT WHICH HE DID RECEIVE FROM MSL FSS. WE CAME UNDER THE CLOUDS, ABOUT A 4000 FT BROKEN LAYER. THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT. I ATTEMPTED TO MONITOR FSS FREQ AND TOLD COPLT TO CANCEL IFR. THIS WAS AT APPROX 3500 FT MSL. I HAD POSITIONED MY AUDIO PANEL SWITCH TO ONLY HEAR FSS AND ASSUMED OUR IFR CANCELLATION WAS SENT AND RECEIVED BY CTR. THE COPLT DID NOT RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM CTR WHEN HE FIRST XMITTED. WHEN I WAS TURNING DOWNWIND AND DSNDING FOR THE VISUAL APCH, HE FINALLY RECEIVED AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM ATC OF CANCELLATION. IN A HURRY-UP TO GET INTO THE TFC PATTERN, AN IMPORTANT ACKNOWLEDGMENT WAS MISSED. PROPER CRM WOULD DICTATE TO SLOW DOWN AND GET THINGS IN THE PROPER ORDER BEFORE PROCEEDING AND MONITORING BOTH FREQS RATHER THAN JUST ONE WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED.

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.

Corp flight crew attempting to cancel IFR descends below assigned altitude prior to making contact to cancel.