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Flight crew of a british jetstream 3100 (BA31), descended below assigned altitude prior to being cleared for the approach due to an ATC vector to final, after delayed vectors for spacing, with a previously cleared helicopter.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 406800 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199806 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jst |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Jetstream 31 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zob |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 650 |
| ASRS Report | 406800 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
My aircraft was being vectored to the VOR DME 15 approach into jst with an assigned altitude of 4600 ft MSL. The helicopter was conducting an ILS runway 33 approach into jst as well. We were cleared to join the final approach course but not cleared for the approach. Meanwhile, ZOB was giving us repeated vectors and 360 degree turns to allocate more space between us and the helicopter. Amidst the confusion and frustration, I mistakenly descended to 4000 ft MSL, the initial approach altitude. ZOB notified us that we were not cleared for the approach and to maintain 4600 ft MSL, which we climbed to immediately. Nothing further was said by cleveland and we continued the approach and landed uneventfully. I think contributing factors to the incident were fatigue of both crew members, confusion as to the location of the helicopter, and loss of situational awareness caused by repeated turns on and off of the final approach course as well as 360 degree turns.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A BRITISH JETSTREAM 3100 (BA31), DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH DUE TO AN ATC VECTOR TO FINAL, AFTER DELAYED VECTORS FOR SPACING, WITH A PREVIOUSLY CLRED HELI.
Narrative: MY ACFT WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE VOR DME 15 APCH INTO JST WITH AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 4600 FT MSL. THE HELI WAS CONDUCTING AN ILS RWY 33 APCH INTO JST AS WELL. WE WERE CLRED TO JOIN THE FINAL APCH COURSE BUT NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH. MEANWHILE, ZOB WAS GIVING US REPEATED VECTORS AND 360 DEG TURNS TO ALLOCATE MORE SPACE BTWN US AND THE HELI. AMIDST THE CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION, I MISTAKENLY DSNDED TO 4000 FT MSL, THE INITIAL APCH ALT. ZOB NOTIFIED US THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH AND TO MAINTAIN 4600 FT MSL, WHICH WE CLBED TO IMMEDIATELY. NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID BY CLEVELAND AND WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I THINK CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE INCIDENT WERE FATIGUE OF BOTH CREW MEMBERS, CONFUSION AS TO THE LOCATION OF THE HELI, AND LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAUSED BY REPEATED TURNS ON AND OFF OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE AS WELL AS 360 DEG TURNS.
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.