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A cpr pilot, PF, did not back up his captain's dialing in an altitude in the preselect window. The captain inadvertently set in an altitude 1000 ft below rising terrain, resulting in a CFIT situation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 451823 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cos.airport |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : cos.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Challenger CL601 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 501 |
| ASRS Report | 451823 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : msaw other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was assigned first officer on our hpn-cos repositioning flight. I believe we were on vectors, by cos approach, to attempt to locate the cos airport, expecting a visual approach to runway 17R. The captain (PNF) set 7000 ft into the altitude preselect window while descending through approximately 11000 ft MSL, believing it was the assignment he heard from ATC. Descending through 8500 ft MSL, I slowed the descent and leveled off, after the terrain appeared to be unusually close. At that moment, ATC stated that the altitude assignment had been 9000 ft, and that radar indicated our altitude to be 8000 ft. We immediately climbed back to 9000 ft, located the airport and landed uneventfully. In retrospect, a closer evaluation of the runway 17R approach plate would have clued me in to the illogical 7000 ft selection made by the captain. I was preoccupied by my search for the airport, and did not hear the 9000 ft assignment. I shudder to think of what might have happened in IMC. A good CFIT lesson. The captain later admitted to acute fatigue.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CPR PLT, PF, DID NOT BACK UP HIS CAPT'S DIALING IN AN ALT IN THE PRESELECT WINDOW. THE CAPT INADVERTENTLY SET IN AN ALT 1000 FT BELOW RISING TERRAIN, RESULTING IN A CFIT SIT.
Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED FO ON OUR HPN-COS REPOSITIONING FLT. I BELIEVE WE WERE ON VECTORS, BY COS APCH, TO ATTEMPT TO LOCATE THE COS ARPT, EXPECTING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17R. THE CAPT (PNF) SET 7000 FT INTO THE ALT PRESELECT WINDOW WHILE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 11000 FT MSL, BELIEVING IT WAS THE ASSIGNMENT HE HEARD FROM ATC. DSNDING THROUGH 8500 FT MSL, I SLOWED THE DSCNT AND LEVELED OFF, AFTER THE TERRAIN APPEARED TO BE UNUSUALLY CLOSE. AT THAT MOMENT, ATC STATED THAT THE ALT ASSIGNMENT HAD BEEN 9000 FT, AND THAT RADAR INDICATED OUR ALT TO BE 8000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT, LOCATED THE ARPT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IN RETROSPECT, A CLOSER EVALUATION OF THE RWY 17R APCH PLATE WOULD HAVE CLUED ME IN TO THE ILLOGICAL 7000 FT SELECTION MADE BY THE CAPT. I WAS PREOCCUPIED BY MY SEARCH FOR THE ARPT, AND DID NOT HEAR THE 9000 FT ASSIGNMENT. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IN IMC. A GOOD CFIT LESSON. THE CAPT LATER ADMITTED TO ACUTE FATIGUE.
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.