Narrative:

We were descending into azo in IMC, rain, and turbulence. Due to traffic and an emergency situation at the airport that the tower was dealing with, we were given several heading changes in quick succession along with altitude changes that required high descent rates. My first officer is also captain on another of the type aircraft that we operate and is very experienced and competent. During the approach, I was keeping the aircraft on heading and altitude and relying on the first officer for an approach briefing. After establishing inbound on the proper radial (VOR approach) the first officer called FAF and the MDA and we started down. As it turned out, he called the FAF early and we were descending below the initial approach altitude before we should have. The local controller called for a climb which we complied with. After establishing ourselves back onto the proper altitude, I reviewed the approach plate and discovered the error. The rest of the approach was uneventful. We debriefed later and discussed proper procedures. Basic procedures need to be reviewed on a regular basis, otherwise old lessons learned can be forgotten -- things such as: always accomplish a proper approach briefing -- even if you are flying with someone that you trust and even if it means delaying the approach, and follow your SOP's -- both pilots should properly review critical items. Supplemental information from acn 419640: ZAU had us maintain FL200 until 15 mi of azo airport then cleared to 2500 ft along with about 4 more than 40 degree heading changes for descent. The ride was turbulent. When handed off to approach we were told to maintain 2500 ft until established on radial of the VOR approach and keep speed up, clear for approach, an airplane that had just departed had to come back to land due to a problem. About 6 mi prior to FAF, we were given a vector that put us past the inbound radial. Then we were turned back to intercept. At this point we were about 4 mi from fix at 2500 ft established on radial. About 1 mi from fix, approach told us to climb, we had descended below 2500 ft to approximately 1800 ft. I think the problem could have been avoided if we had not been left up so high so close to the approach given the WX condition, and the rush due to the aircraft intrail with a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WW24 FLC DSNDS TOO EARLY ON THEIR IAP VOR APCH RWY 17 TO AXO, MI.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING INTO AZO IN IMC, RAIN, AND TURB. DUE TO TFC AND AN EMER SIT AT THE ARPT THAT THE TWR WAS DEALING WITH, WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL HDG CHANGES IN QUICK SUCCESSION ALONG WITH ALT CHANGES THAT REQUIRED HIGH DSCNT RATES. MY FO IS ALSO CAPT ON ANOTHER OF THE TYPE ACFT THAT WE OPERATE AND IS VERY EXPERIENCED AND COMPETENT. DURING THE APCH, I WAS KEEPING THE ACFT ON HDG AND ALT AND RELYING ON THE FO FOR AN APCH BRIEFING. AFTER ESTABLISHING INBOUND ON THE PROPER RADIAL (VOR APCH) THE FO CALLED FAF AND THE MDA AND WE STARTED DOWN. AS IT TURNED OUT, HE CALLED THE FAF EARLY AND WE WERE DSNDING BELOW THE INITIAL APCH ALT BEFORE WE SHOULD HAVE. THE LCL CTLR CALLED FOR A CLB WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. AFTER ESTABLISHING OURSELVES BACK ONTO THE PROPER ALT, I REVIEWED THE APCH PLATE AND DISCOVERED THE ERROR. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE DEBRIEFED LATER AND DISCUSSED PROPER PROCS. BASIC PROCS NEED TO BE REVIEWED ON A REGULAR BASIS, OTHERWISE OLD LESSONS LEARNED CAN BE FORGOTTEN -- THINGS SUCH AS: ALWAYS ACCOMPLISH A PROPER APCH BRIEFING -- EVEN IF YOU ARE FLYING WITH SOMEONE THAT YOU TRUST AND EVEN IF IT MEANS DELAYING THE APCH, AND FOLLOW YOUR SOP'S -- BOTH PLTS SHOULD PROPERLY REVIEW CRITICAL ITEMS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419640: ZAU HAD US MAINTAIN FL200 UNTIL 15 MI OF AZO ARPT THEN CLRED TO 2500 FT ALONG WITH ABOUT 4 MORE THAN 40 DEG HDG CHANGES FOR DSCNT. THE RIDE WAS TURBULENT. WHEN HANDED OFF TO APCH WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON RADIAL OF THE VOR APCH AND KEEP SPD UP, CLR FOR APCH, AN AIRPLANE THAT HAD JUST DEPARTED HAD TO COME BACK TO LAND DUE TO A PROB. ABOUT 6 MI PRIOR TO FAF, WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR THAT PUT US PAST THE INBOUND RADIAL. THEN WE WERE TURNED BACK TO INTERCEPT. AT THIS POINT WE WERE ABOUT 4 MI FROM FIX AT 2500 FT ESTABLISHED ON RADIAL. ABOUT 1 MI FROM FIX, APCH TOLD US TO CLB, WE HAD DSNDED BELOW 2500 FT TO APPROX 1800 FT. I THINK THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD NOT BEEN LEFT UP SO HIGH SO CLOSE TO THE APCH GIVEN THE WX CONDITION, AND THE RUSH DUE TO THE ACFT INTRAIL WITH A PROB.

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.