B767 descending into mvd, first officer, makes premature descent because the flight crew believes the ADF needle showed station passage when it did not. Fortunately for the flight crew the WX cleared enough they were able to see the runway.

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Attributes
ACN	392976
Time
Date	199802
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mvd
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mvd tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	392976
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	392975
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Z time: XX30Z frequency/altitude: 118.7/11000 ft MSL. ATC facility: mvd tower. Location: mvd. Flying VOR/DME runway 6 to mvd in moderate turbulence and rain. I started a descent after seeing ADF needle fluctuate and broke out below the ceiling. Captain noticed the ADF still pointed ahead, so I started to climb. Saw runway as I climbed, so flew normal visual approach and landing. Turbulence, a big crab angle and loud rain noise led to my error. I will be sure to wait for full swing on the ADF needle on future approachs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 DSNDING INTO MVD, FO, MAKES PREMATURE DSCNT BECAUSE THE FLC BELIEVES THE ADF NEEDLE SHOWED STATION PASSAGE WHEN IT DID NOT. FORTUNATELY FOR THE FLC THE WX CLRED ENOUGH THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE RWY.

Narrative: Z TIME: XX30Z FREQ/ALT: 118.7/11000 FT MSL. ATC FACILITY: MVD TWR. LOCATION: MVD. FLYING VOR/DME RWY 6 TO MVD IN MODERATE TURB AND RAIN. I STARTED A DSCNT AFTER SEEING ADF NEEDLE FLUCTUATE AND BROKE OUT BELOW THE CEILING. CAPT NOTICED THE ADF STILL POINTED AHEAD, SO I STARTED TO CLB. SAW RWY AS I CLBED, SO FLEW NORMAL VISUAL APCH AND LNDG. TURB, A BIG CRAB ANGLE AND LOUD RAIN NOISE LED TO MY ERROR. I WILL BE SURE TO WAIT FOR FULL SWING ON THE ADF NEEDLE ON FUTURE APCHS.

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.