Narrative:

It was our final round trip of a busy 3 day pairing. We were 1 hour late departing ewr because of ramp and ground delays. I believe that this factored greatly into the incident that took place (we were in a hurry). While approaching ith, we received a descent clearance to 3300 ft MSL. Approach called the airport at 12 O'clock, but it was very hazy and neither I (the PF) or my first officer had the field in sight. We were landing on runway 32 so we knew (and fully briefed) a straight-in approach. After searching, we finally saw the airport and I realized that we were extremely high for the approach. During this brief time the controller issued a heading to intercept the localizer. I looked down at my navigation instruments (eadi) and noticed a full-down deflection of the GS needle. It was during this brief period that I departed 3300 ft MSL and descended to approximately 3000 ft MSL. I thought we had been cleared for the visual approach. I recognized my mistake and took corrective action to climb back to our assigned altitude. The controller noticed this action and asked 'if we left 3300 ft.' we said we did and also called the airport in sight. He issued a visual approach and approved a 270 degree turn because we were still high. We landed without further incidence. This incident happened because we were in a hurry to make time up and also due to expectancy -- I saw how high we were and just assumed we had been cleared for the approach. Next time I will ask for a delay vector and plan ahead better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB120 ACFT ON VECTORS FOR APCH AND TRYING TO ACQUIRE ARPT VISUALLY, FLC REALIZED THAT THE ACFT WAS HIGH ON APCH AND RPTR CAPT COMMENCED DSCNT, BUT WENT BELOW GS INTERCEPT ALT. RPTR CORRECTED BACK AS CTLR QUERIED THEIR ALT.

Narrative: IT WAS OUR FINAL ROUND TRIP OF A BUSY 3 DAY PAIRING. WE WERE 1 HR LATE DEPARTING EWR BECAUSE OF RAMP AND GND DELAYS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS FACTORED GREATLY INTO THE INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE (WE WERE IN A HURRY). WHILE APCHING ITH, WE RECEIVED A DSCNT CLRNC TO 3300 FT MSL. APCH CALLED THE ARPT AT 12 O'CLOCK, BUT IT WAS VERY HAZY AND NEITHER I (THE PF) OR MY FO HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. WE WERE LNDG ON RWY 32 SO WE KNEW (AND FULLY BRIEFED) A STRAIGHT-IN APCH. AFTER SEARCHING, WE FINALLY SAW THE ARPT AND I REALIZED THAT WE WERE EXTREMELY HIGH FOR THE APCH. DURING THIS BRIEF TIME THE CTLR ISSUED A HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY NAV INSTS (EADI) AND NOTICED A FULL-DOWN DEFLECTION OF THE GS NEEDLE. IT WAS DURING THIS BRIEF PERIOD THAT I DEPARTED 3300 FT MSL AND DSNDED TO APPROX 3000 FT MSL. I THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I RECOGNIZED MY MISTAKE AND TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION TO CLB BACK TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. THE CTLR NOTICED THIS ACTION AND ASKED 'IF WE LEFT 3300 FT.' WE SAID WE DID AND ALSO CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT. HE ISSUED A VISUAL APCH AND APPROVED A 270 DEG TURN BECAUSE WE WERE STILL HIGH. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENCE. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED BECAUSE WE WERE IN A HURRY TO MAKE TIME UP AND ALSO DUE TO EXPECTANCY -- I SAW HOW HIGH WE WERE AND JUST ASSUMED WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. NEXT TIME I WILL ASK FOR A DELAY VECTOR AND PLAN AHEAD BETTER.

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.