First officer of a beech 1900D airliner, BE02, descended below initial approach altitude while retur...

Attributes
ACN	427370
Time
Date	199902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmw airport : pwm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	427370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We departed pwm. During climb out, I (first officer PF) noticed that the right propeller heat was not working properly. I alerted the captain and the decision was made to return to the field (pwm). We were in ice conditions. As we were being vectored for the ILS runway 11, the captain was busy with talking on the other radio with operations, the passenger, and dispatch. The vector was somewhat tight resulting in having to reintercept the localizer. To assist my workload, I selected the flight director, which appeared to give false information. I then selected the flight director to off. While all this was happening, approach called and said 1800 ft. I was approximately 1600-1500 ft. I immediately corrected back to 1800 ft. My omission of the altimeter in my scan was due to: high workload (intercept, reintercept, while descending to 1800 ft and reducing speed). Distraction (flight director). Tight vector (ATC). PNF not in the loop at critical time. (In hind sight when captain announced he would be on #2 radio, I should have requested 'stay with me until I am established/stabilized on the approach.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A BEECH 1900D AIRLINER, BE02, DSNDED BELOW INITIAL APCH ALT WHILE RETURNING TO LAND DUE TO A PROP ICING SYS PROB. APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND ALERTED HIM TO HIS LOW ALT TO WHICH HE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED PWM. DURING CLBOUT, I (FO PF) NOTICED THAT THE R PROP HEAT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I ALERTED THE CAPT AND THE DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO THE FIELD (PWM). WE WERE IN ICE CONDITIONS. AS WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 11, THE CAPT WAS BUSY WITH TALKING ON THE OTHER RADIO WITH OPS, THE PAX, AND DISPATCH. THE VECTOR WAS SOMEWHAT TIGHT RESULTING IN HAVING TO REINTERCEPT THE LOC. TO ASSIST MY WORKLOAD, I SELECTED THE FLT DIRECTOR, WHICH APPEARED TO GIVE FALSE INFO. I THEN SELECTED THE FLT DIRECTOR TO OFF. WHILE ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING, APCH CALLED AND SAID 1800 FT. I WAS APPROX 1600-1500 FT. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO 1800 FT. MY OMISSION OF THE ALTIMETER IN MY SCAN WAS DUE TO: HIGH WORKLOAD (INTERCEPT, REINTERCEPT, WHILE DSNDING TO 1800 FT AND REDUCING SPD). DISTR (FLT DIRECTOR). TIGHT VECTOR (ATC). PNF NOT IN THE LOOP AT CRITICAL TIME. (IN HIND SIGHT WHEN CAPT ANNOUNCED HE WOULD BE ON #2 RADIO, I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED 'STAY WITH ME UNTIL I AM ESTABLISHED/STABILIZED ON THE APCH.)

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.

First officer of a beech 1900D airliner, BE02, descended below initial approach altitude while returning to land due to a propeller icing system problem. Approach controller intervened and alerted him to his low altitude to which he immediately corrected back.