An air carrier medium large transport first officer descends out of his assigned altitude when told ...

Attributes
ACN	425334
Time
Date	199901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7400 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	425334
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During approach into phx I was level 7000 ft. Approach had told us that runway 8L was our runway. We told ATC we had the airport in sight. I heard cleared visual runway 8L. During descent through 6000 ft ATC said descend to 5000 ft. I am concerned now that we might not have actually been cleared for visual approach. But, maybe ATC said expect visual runway 8L! This raised some concern to the captain and he then asked ATC what was our previous altitude we were cleared to. ATC said that we were cleared to 5000 ft (confirming our altitude clearance). I recall now, just prior to leaving our last assigned altitude of 7000 ft. I wanted to confirm with the captain that we were cleared visual approach. He said yes. I then (against procedure) reprogrammed the altitude selector to 4000 ft which is initial approach altitude for runway 8R our initial runway assigned by ATC. Company policy is for the PNF to set the altitude selector. When ATC told us cleared to 5000 ft the captain reached up to the selector and noticed 4000 ft in the window raising the question of our clearance. The point of this report is to first of all follow company procedure and when in doubt confirm, confirm, confirm with ATC. I was given approach clearance after leveling at 5000 ft again by ATC. ATC never told us about a deviation, but it is questionable the way the event unfolded.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FO DSNDS OUT OF HIS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN TOLD TO 'EXPECT A VISUAL APCH' TO RWY 8L AT PHX, AZ.

Narrative: DURING APCH INTO PHX I WAS LEVEL 7000 FT. APCH HAD TOLD US THAT RWY 8L WAS OUR RWY. WE TOLD ATC WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I HEARD CLRED VISUAL RWY 8L. DURING DSCNT THROUGH 6000 FT ATC SAID DSND TO 5000 FT. I AM CONCERNED NOW THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH. BUT, MAYBE ATC SAID EXPECT VISUAL RWY 8L! THIS RAISED SOME CONCERN TO THE CAPT AND HE THEN ASKED ATC WHAT WAS OUR PREVIOUS ALT WE WERE CLRED TO. ATC SAID THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT (CONFIRMING OUR ALT CLRNC). I RECALL NOW, JUST PRIOR TO LEAVING OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. I WANTED TO CONFIRM WITH THE CAPT THAT WE WERE CLRED VISUAL APCH. HE SAID YES. I THEN (AGAINST PROC) REPROGRAMMED THE ALT SELECTOR TO 4000 FT WHICH IS INITIAL APCH ALT FOR RWY 8R OUR INITIAL RWY ASSIGNED BY ATC. COMPANY POLICY IS FOR THE PNF TO SET THE ALT SELECTOR. WHEN ATC TOLD US CLRED TO 5000 FT THE CAPT REACHED UP TO THE SELECTOR AND NOTICED 4000 FT IN THE WINDOW RAISING THE QUESTION OF OUR CLRNC. THE POINT OF THIS RPT IS TO FIRST OF ALL FOLLOW COMPANY PROC AND WHEN IN DOUBT CONFIRM, CONFIRM, CONFIRM WITH ATC. I WAS GIVEN APCH CLRNC AFTER LEVELING AT 5000 FT AGAIN BY ATC. ATC NEVER TOLD US ABOUT A DEV, BUT IT IS QUESTIONABLE THE WAY THE EVENT UNFOLDED.

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.

An air carrier medium large transport first officer descends out of his assigned altitude when told to 'expect a visual approach' to runway 8L at phx, az.