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Flight crew of a cessna 550 descended below assigned altitude prior to ATC approving them for a visual approach resulting in premature exit from class B airspace and contrary to their clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 340150 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 3n8 |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : clt |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Citation II S2/Bravo |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 340150 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
As we were approaching the 3n8 airport near charlotte, nc, the first officer was on the #2 communication getting an airport advisory while I was monitoring #1 which was charlotte approach. We got a frequency change and at the same time the first officer finished with the advisory. We were assigned 4000 ft and as I changed to the next frequency we missed the 1000 ft altitude alert. When the first officer returned to the #1 communication to check in we were passing 4000 ft. There was a miscom somewhere that led us to believe we were cleared for the visual approach to 3n8, probably because we had advised approach we had the airport in sight about the same time the switching of communications was happening. In the future, training should be conducted or at least a briefing between pilots on some procedure to use to know we have been cleared for a visual approach -- maybe setting the alerter to some altitude such as field elevation or something similar.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A CESSNA 550 DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO ATC APPROVING THEM FOR A VISUAL APCH RESULTING IN PREMATURE EXIT FROM CLASS B AIRSPACE AND CONTRARY TO THEIR CLRNC.
Narrative: AS WE WERE APCHING THE 3N8 ARPT NEAR CHARLOTTE, NC, THE FO WAS ON THE #2 COM GETTING AN ARPT ADVISORY WHILE I WAS MONITORING #1 WHICH WAS CHARLOTTE APCH. WE GOT A FREQ CHANGE AND AT THE SAME TIME THE FO FINISHED WITH THE ADVISORY. WE WERE ASSIGNED 4000 FT AND AS I CHANGED TO THE NEXT FREQ WE MISSED THE 1000 FT ALT ALERT. WHEN THE FO RETURNED TO THE #1 COM TO CHK IN WE WERE PASSING 4000 FT. THERE WAS A MISCOM SOMEWHERE THAT LED US TO BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO 3N8, PROBABLY BECAUSE WE HAD ADVISED APCH WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE SWITCHING OF COMS WAS HAPPENING. IN THE FUTURE, TRAINING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED OR AT LEAST A BRIEFING BTWN PLTS ON SOME PROC TO USE TO KNOW WE HAVE BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH -- MAYBE SETTING THE ALERTER TO SOME ALT SUCH AS FIELD ELEVATION OR SOMETHING SIMILAR.
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.