A B727 flight crew failed to maintain assigned altitude prior to beginning approach into mco.

Attributes
ACN	427721
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	427721
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 18R at mco. We used the ILS runway 18R as a backup for vertical guidance. We were cleared to maintain 2500 ft until the orl VOR. I mistakenly thought that following the GS would comply with the ATC instructions. However, the GS crosses the VOR at about 2100 ft. This put us 400 ft low. I feel a contributing factor was the crew were all tired having flown all night to get to this point. This procedure seems unsafe in that they expect us to deliberately fly 400 ft high on this approach and then dive back down to a proper glide path. It makes for a very unstabilized approach with excessive descent rates near the ground. We should be allowed to fly the GS during this visual approach. This is especially true in transport category aircraft where a stabilized approach leads to a safer approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC FAILED TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO BEGINNING APCH INTO MCO.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18R AT MCO. WE USED THE ILS RWY 18R AS A BACKUP FOR VERT GUIDANCE. WE WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL THE ORL VOR. I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THAT FOLLOWING THE GS WOULD COMPLY WITH THE ATC INSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER, THE GS CROSSES THE VOR AT ABOUT 2100 FT. THIS PUT US 400 FT LOW. I FEEL A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE CREW WERE ALL TIRED HAVING FLOWN ALL NIGHT TO GET TO THIS POINT. THIS PROC SEEMS UNSAFE IN THAT THEY EXPECT US TO DELIBERATELY FLY 400 FT HIGH ON THIS APCH AND THEN DIVE BACK DOWN TO A PROPER GLIDE PATH. IT MAKES FOR A VERY UNSTABILIZED APCH WITH EXCESSIVE DSCNT RATES NEAR THE GND. WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FLY THE GS DURING THIS VISUAL APCH. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN TRANSPORT CATEGORY ACFT WHERE A STABILIZED APCH LEADS TO A SAFER 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.