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Captain of an MD88 started approach descent prior to being cleared resulting in ARTCC controller intervention to remind reporter that he was instructed to advise when established on the localizer.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 467880 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200003 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pwm.airport |
| State Reference | ME |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 11 other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 467880 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 468158 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Approaching pwm airport over parso IAF, ZBW cleared us to descend to 4000 ft, intercept the localizer for runway 11, and 'advise when established.' we did so, but after intercepting the localizer, ZBW was busy talking to another aircraft, and my first officer was giving the required calls on CTAF as pwm tower and approach were closed. Somehow, I thought we were cleared for the approach, and I started by descent to catch up to the step-down altitudes after parso. ZBW called and said we had not been cleared to descend. Then center confirmed we were established on localizer, and immediately cleared us for the approach. By then the runway was in sight. We requested and we were given a visual approach. Thinking back, I realized we had talked earlier to ZBW about starting with the ILS and then going visual. Then when center said 'report established,' I assumed we had been 'cleared for the approach.' fatigue, not keeping my first officer in the loop, closed tower and approach, and not wanting to be high on approach for a short runway, all added to the problem. To my knowledge, no other aircraft was affected (none even around), and we were always at or above the altitudes on the approach. But I learned from this and will be more careful as a result.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN MD88 STARTED APCH DSCNT PRIOR TO BEING CLRED RESULTING IN ARTCC CTLR INTERVENTION TO REMIND RPTR THAT HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO ADVISE WHEN ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC.
Narrative: APCHING PWM ARPT OVER PARSO IAF, ZBW CLRED US TO DSND TO 4000 FT, INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 11, AND 'ADVISE WHEN ESTABLISHED.' WE DID SO, BUT AFTER INTERCEPTING THE LOC, ZBW WAS BUSY TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT, AND MY FO WAS GIVING THE REQUIRED CALLS ON CTAF AS PWM TWR AND APCH WERE CLOSED. SOMEHOW, I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, AND I STARTED BY DSCNT TO CATCH UP TO THE STEP-DOWN ALTS AFTER PARSO. ZBW CALLED AND SAID WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED TO DSND. THEN CTR CONFIRMED WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON LOC, AND IMMEDIATELY CLRED US FOR THE APCH. BY THEN THE RWY WAS IN SIGHT. WE REQUESTED AND WE WERE GIVEN A VISUAL APCH. THINKING BACK, I REALIZED WE HAD TALKED EARLIER TO ZBW ABOUT STARTING WITH THE ILS AND THEN GOING VISUAL. THEN WHEN CTR SAID 'RPT ESTABLISHED,' I ASSUMED WE HAD BEEN 'CLRED FOR THE APCH.' FATIGUE, NOT KEEPING MY FO IN THE LOOP, CLOSED TWR AND APCH, AND NOT WANTING TO BE HIGH ON APCH FOR A SHORT RWY, ALL ADDED TO THE PROB. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO OTHER ACFT WAS AFFECTED (NONE EVEN AROUND), AND WE WERE ALWAYS AT OR ABOVE THE ALTS ON THE APCH. BUT I LEARNED FROM THIS AND WILL BE MORE CAREFUL AS A RESULT.
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.