Lear 24 descent below MDA landing at fat.

Attributes
ACN	454840
Time
Date	199911
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fat.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Learjet 24
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	ils other localizer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	454840
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During approach into fat on nov/xa/99 at approximately XA00 in aircraft, we descended below the crossing altitude of 1500 ft. This transpired for the following reasons: the ATIS had been received and indicated lndgs were being conducted on runway 29R and this approach was briefed. When handed off from ZOA to fat tower we were advised that we could expect a straight-in approach to runway 11L, a back course approach. This approach was then quickly set up and briefed, with the approach plate remaining with the PNF. We were cleared to cross the morla fix at 2000 ft, then cleared for the straight-in back course approach to runway 11L. After crossing morla I asked the copilot to confirm that we could descend to the MDA of 680 ft and he advised yes, now cleared to 680 ft. We descended to approximately 1300 ft when the tower advised we were low and to go around. On this approach there is another fix (slack) which is to be crossed at 1500 ft prior to descending to MDA. As we were in visual conditions, with reported WX being sky clear, visibility 3 mi and with the airport in sight, we advised the tower we could continue a visual approach to runway 11L and requested a sidestep to runway 11R. Tower advised that they preferred jets to use only the left runway and we landed 11L. This incident occurred as a result of the approach plate being misread by the copilot, who is new to the company, new to flying in the united states and unfamiliar with commercial charts. To further complicate matters, it is company policy to disallow approach plate holders on the control column. This requires that the PNF lay the approach plate on his knee and provide numbers and altitudes as required by the PF. At night with marginal lighting conditions this is extremely difficult. I have instructed this pilot in the standard approach briefing and reiterated the standard calls, as briefed prior to this approach. I have also instituted a velcro mounted clip to hold the approach plates when I fly any company aircraft and trust that this will alleviate all problems of this nature.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEAR 24 DSCNT BELOW MDA LNDG AT FAT.

Narrative: DURING APCH INTO FAT ON NOV/XA/99 AT APPROX XA00 IN ACFT, WE DSNDED BELOW THE XING ALT OF 1500 FT. THIS TRANSPIRED FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: THE ATIS HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND INDICATED LNDGS WERE BEING CONDUCTED ON RWY 29R AND THIS APCH WAS BRIEFED. WHEN HANDED OFF FROM ZOA TO FAT TWR WE WERE ADVISED THAT WE COULD EXPECT A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 11L, A BACK COURSE APCH. THIS APCH WAS THEN QUICKLY SET UP AND BRIEFED, WITH THE APCH PLATE REMAINING WITH THE PNF. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS THE MORLA FIX AT 2000 FT, THEN CLRED FOR THE STRAIGHT-IN BACK COURSE APCH TO RWY 11L. AFTER XING MORLA I ASKED THE COPLT TO CONFIRM THAT WE COULD DSND TO THE MDA OF 680 FT AND HE ADVISED YES, NOW CLRED TO 680 FT. WE DSNDED TO APPROX 1300 FT WHEN THE TWR ADVISED WE WERE LOW AND TO GO AROUND. ON THIS APCH THERE IS ANOTHER FIX (SLACK) WHICH IS TO BE CROSSED AT 1500 FT PRIOR TO DSNDING TO MDA. AS WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS, WITH RPTED WX BEING SKY CLR, VISIBILITY 3 MI AND WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT, WE ADVISED THE TWR WE COULD CONTINUE A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 11L AND REQUESTED A SIDESTEP TO RWY 11R. TWR ADVISED THAT THEY PREFERRED JETS TO USE ONLY THE L RWY AND WE LANDED 11L. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE APCH PLATE BEING MISREAD BY THE COPLT, WHO IS NEW TO THE COMPANY, NEW TO FLYING IN THE UNITED STATES AND UNFAMILIAR WITH COMMERCIAL CHARTS. TO FURTHER COMPLICATE MATTERS, IT IS COMPANY POLICY TO DISALLOW APCH PLATE HOLDERS ON THE CTL COLUMN. THIS REQUIRES THAT THE PNF LAY THE APCH PLATE ON HIS KNEE AND PROVIDE NUMBERS AND ALTS AS REQUIRED BY THE PF. AT NIGHT WITH MARGINAL LIGHTING CONDITIONS THIS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I HAVE INSTRUCTED THIS PLT IN THE STANDARD APCH BRIEFING AND REITERATED THE STANDARD CALLS, AS BRIEFED PRIOR TO THIS APCH. I HAVE ALSO INSTITUTED A VELCRO MOUNTED CLIP TO HOLD THE APCH PLATES WHEN I FLY ANY COMPANY ACFT AND TRUST THAT THIS WILL ALLEVIATE ALL PROBS OF THIS NATURE.

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.