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After requesting a VOR DME approach, pilot flying air carrier aircraft ignores approach altitude and receives a low altitude alert from the controller.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 462893 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200002 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : act.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : act.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : rwy 32 other |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 462893 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I decided to request the VOR DME runway 32 approach to waco, tx, even though we were flying in more than adequate VFR conditions. I commenced my descent, once established on the inbound course, a little too early and received an altitude alert from approach control. I immediately corrected my altitude to the correct published sector altitude. This problem arose due to an error in reading the approach plate and was discovered when ATC advised us to check altitude. An immediate altitude correction was made a few seconds after. Contributing factors: not paying full attention to approach briefing and attempting to fly a visual approach instead of adhering to sector altitudes. Lesson learned: when flying an IFR approach even in VFR WX, adhere to all sector altitudes or call 'airport in sight' before transgressing to a visual approach. Proceed visually then after receiving a clearance to do so.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AFTER REQUESTING A VOR DME APCH, PLT FLYING ACR ACFT IGNORES APCH ALT AND RECEIVES A LOW ALT ALERT FROM THE CTLR.
Narrative: I DECIDED TO REQUEST THE VOR DME RWY 32 APCH TO WACO, TX, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE FLYING IN MORE THAN ADEQUATE VFR CONDITIONS. I COMMENCED MY DSCNT, ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE INBOUND COURSE, A LITTLE TOO EARLY AND RECEIVED AN ALT ALERT FROM APCH CTL. I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED MY ALT TO THE CORRECT PUBLISHED SECTOR ALT. THIS PROB AROSE DUE TO AN ERROR IN READING THE APCH PLATE AND WAS DISCOVERED WHEN ATC ADVISED US TO CHK ALT. AN IMMEDIATE ALT CORRECTION WAS MADE A FEW SECONDS AFTER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NOT PAYING FULL ATTN TO APCH BRIEFING AND ATTEMPTING TO FLY A VISUAL APCH INSTEAD OF ADHERING TO SECTOR ALTS. LESSON LEARNED: WHEN FLYING AN IFR APCH EVEN IN VFR WX, ADHERE TO ALL SECTOR ALTS OR CALL 'ARPT IN SIGHT' BEFORE TRANSGRESSING TO A VISUAL APCH. PROCEED VISUALLY THEN AFTER RECEIVING A CLRNC TO DO SO.
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.