A B747 flight crew accepted a visual approach while on left base to the runway, but when they turned final the airport became obscured in conditions of fog and early morning sun. While looking for the runway, the captain (PF) descended below the assigned altitude, and then overcorrected above that altitude by 300 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	341060
Time
Date	199607
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : anc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	341060
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
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:

We were being vectored by anc approach for a visual approach to runway 6L. We were on a modified left base for runway 6L descending from 4000 ft to 1600 ft, the altitude assigned as well as the final approach altitude for runway 6L. The captain had the airport barely in sight and was then cleared for the 'visual approach' to runway 6L. As we turned final, we lost sight of the airport looking directly into the morning sun with some fog obscuring our vision. We were told to maintain 1600 ft. The captain while trying to locate the airport descended below 1600 ft to 1400 ft, over corrected, and ballooned to 1300 ft -- getting the controller's attention. Even though we were on a 'visual approach' we were told to maintain 1600 ft MSL. The captain should have had the autoplt on and we should have shot to ILS to runway 6R (runway 6L is localizer only).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B747 FLC ACCEPTED A VISUAL APCH WHILE ON L BASE TO THE RWY, BUT WHEN THEY TURNED FINAL THE ARPT BECAME OBSCURED IN CONDITIONS OF FOG AND EARLY MORNING SUN. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE RWY, THE CAPT (PF) DSNDED BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT, AND THEN OVERCORRECTED ABOVE THAT ALT BY 300 FT.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED BY ANC APCH FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 6L. WE WERE ON A MODIFIED L BASE FOR RWY 6L DSNDING FROM 4000 FT TO 1600 FT, THE ALT ASSIGNED AS WELL AS THE FINAL APCH ALT FOR RWY 6L. THE CAPT HAD THE ARPT BARELY IN SIGHT AND WAS THEN CLRED FOR THE 'VISUAL APCH' TO RWY 6L. AS WE TURNED FINAL, WE LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT LOOKING DIRECTLY INTO THE MORNING SUN WITH SOME FOG OBSCURING OUR VISION. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT. THE CAPT WHILE TRYING TO LOCATE THE ARPT DSNDED BELOW 1600 FT TO 1400 FT, OVER CORRECTED, AND BALLOONED TO 1300 FT -- GETTING THE CTLR'S ATTN. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ON A 'VISUAL APCH' WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT MSL. THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE HAD THE AUTOPLT ON AND WE SHOULD HAVE SHOT TO ILS TO RWY 6R (RWY 6L IS LOC ONLY).

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.