Narrative:

During approach into aruba we were cleared to descend to 4000 ft (FL40). During descent approximately 12 NM north, we called field in sight, we were cleared for a visual approach, call left base. We continued descent below 4000 ft, tower called us as we were descending through approximately 3000 ft and advised us we were not cleared to descend when given a visual approach clearance. We were then told to continue descent and land. We did. Uneventful. I've flown into aruba many times. I was aware of their ATC rules for visual approachs. I should have backed up the PF. This is one of 2 places in the world I've flown where this rule exists. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter first officer idented the aircraft as B757-200. The dutch isles, aruba and st maarten, have a procedure that requires arriving aircraft to maintain altitude until cleared to descend. When the reporter flight crew was cleared for the visual approach, the reporter first officer was involved in cockpit duties such as checklists, etc, and didn't noticed that the captain had moved the altitude alert knob to a higher altitude (to eliminate annoying altitude alert warnings) and, thinking that with a visual approach clearance he could descend at his discretion. Consequently he descended below 4000 ft assigned and the approach controller questioned them on their altitude. The controllers there refer to the assigned altitude in the airport area as 'circuit altitude.' aruba does not have a certified radar environment, but it was evident that they had radar operating. Reporter faults himself somewhat because he knew of the procedures and didn't monitor the captain close enough and the captain was new to the area. When asked how the reporter knew of that procedure restr at aruba he said from experience, though he thinks it is depicted on his company's airport page.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOREIGN ARPT HAS ALT RESTR EVEN WHEN ACFT ARE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. RPTR FO KNEW OF THE RESTR, BUT WAS DISTRACTED BY OTHER COCKPIT DUTIES AND DIDN'T NOTICE THAT THE CAPT, PF, HAD SET THE ALT ALERT ABOVE THEIR ALT THINKING CLRED FOR A VISUAL GAVE HIM THE PREROGATIVE TO DSND.

Narrative: DURING APCH INTO ARUBA WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT (FL40). DURING DSCNT APPROX 12 NM N, WE CALLED FIELD IN SIGHT, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, CALL L BASE. WE CONTINUED DSCNT BELOW 4000 FT, TWR CALLED US AS WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 3000 FT AND ADVISED US WE WERE NOT CLRED TO DSND WHEN GIVEN A VISUAL APCH CLRNC. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO CONTINUE DSCNT AND LAND. WE DID. UNEVENTFUL. I'VE FLOWN INTO ARUBA MANY TIMES. I WAS AWARE OF THEIR ATC RULES FOR VISUAL APCHS. I SHOULD HAVE BACKED UP THE PF. THIS IS ONE OF 2 PLACES IN THE WORLD I'VE FLOWN WHERE THIS RULE EXISTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR FO IDENTED THE ACFT AS B757-200. THE DUTCH ISLES, ARUBA AND ST MAARTEN, HAVE A PROC THAT REQUIRES ARRIVING ACFT TO MAINTAIN ALT UNTIL CLRED TO DSND. WHEN THE RPTR FLC WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH, THE RPTR FO WAS INVOLVED IN COCKPIT DUTIES SUCH AS CHKLISTS, ETC, AND DIDN'T NOTICED THAT THE CAPT HAD MOVED THE ALT ALERT KNOB TO A HIGHER ALT (TO ELIMINATE ANNOYING ALT ALERT WARNINGS) AND, THINKING THAT WITH A VISUAL APCH CLRNC HE COULD DSND AT HIS DISCRETION. CONSEQUENTLY HE DSNDED BELOW 4000 FT ASSIGNED AND THE APCH CTLR QUESTIONED THEM ON THEIR ALT. THE CTLRS THERE REFER TO THE ASSIGNED ALT IN THE ARPT AREA AS 'CIRCUIT ALT.' ARUBA DOES NOT HAVE A CERTIFIED RADAR ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THEY HAD RADAR OPERATING. RPTR FAULTS HIMSELF SOMEWHAT BECAUSE HE KNEW OF THE PROCS AND DIDN'T MONITOR THE CAPT CLOSE ENOUGH AND THE CAPT WAS NEW TO THE AREA. WHEN ASKED HOW THE RPTR KNEW OF THAT PROC RESTR AT ARUBA HE SAID FROM EXPERIENCE, THOUGH HE THINKS IT IS DEPICTED ON HIS COMPANY'S ARPT PAGE.

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.