B727 crew descended below minimum altitude outside ridge in IMC at ord.

Attributes
ACN	480660
Time
Date	200008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 22r
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 7200
ASRS Report	480660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 3250 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	480742
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : low alt alert other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : provided flight assist flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather FAA
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our aircraft was being vectored for an ILS approach to runway 22R at ord airport. The WX was 7 mi visibility scattered 1400 ft broken. The controller was giving me numerous heading, altitude, and airspeed changes while giving me a clearance to intercept the ILS final approach course at 2200 ft MSL. The base leg was relatively close in to the airport (9 NM). During the turn to final, I became temporarily overloaded with the numerous controller instructions and descended to approximately 1700 ft MSL while turning to final approach. I then recognized I was low and began a climb back to the intercept altitude. Supplemental information from acn 480742: upon arrival to approach arrival, we were cleared for a short vector to final and descent from 5000 ft to 2200 ft, given reduction to 180 KIAS and cleared for approach. Captain was flying the ILS. I was on 113.9 to have DME from field. When we started our descent, captain called for gear down, final descent check. I was returning clearance, using WX radar and running checklist when the captain made a comment that he had lost the GS and wanted the localizer minimums. I commented that 'it was above him,' implying the GS -- I still had 113.9. I then swapped to the ILS frequency and the controller noted our descent as we were correcting back to 2200 ft. The captain started descent outside the FAF to localizer minimums. When he perceived the GS inoperative, no flags. The captain climbed back to cleared altitude when to correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW DSNDED BELOW MINIMUM ALT OUTSIDE RIDGE IN IMC AT ORD.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 22R AT ORD ARPT. THE WX WAS 7 MI VISIBILITY SCATTERED 1400 FT BROKEN. THE CTLR WAS GIVING ME NUMEROUS HDG, ALT, AND AIRSPD CHANGES WHILE GIVING ME A CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FINAL APCH COURSE AT 2200 FT MSL. THE BASE LEG WAS RELATIVELY CLOSE IN TO THE ARPT (9 NM). DURING THE TURN TO FINAL, I BECAME TEMPORARILY OVERLOADED WITH THE NUMEROUS CTLR INSTRUCTIONS AND DSNDED TO APPROX 1700 FT MSL WHILE TURNING TO FINAL APCH. I THEN RECOGNIZED I WAS LOW AND BEGAN A CLB BACK TO THE INTERCEPT ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 480742: UPON ARR TO APCH ARR, WE WERE CLRED FOR A SHORT VECTOR TO FINAL AND DSCNT FROM 5000 FT TO 2200 FT, GIVEN REDUCTION TO 180 KIAS AND CLRED FOR APCH. CAPT WAS FLYING THE ILS. I WAS ON 113.9 TO HAVE DME FROM FIELD. WHEN WE STARTED OUR DSCNT, CAPT CALLED FOR GEAR DOWN, FINAL DSCNT CHK. I WAS RETURNING CLRNC, USING WX RADAR AND RUNNING CHKLIST WHEN THE CAPT MADE A COMMENT THAT HE HAD LOST THE GS AND WANTED THE LOC MINIMUMS. I COMMENTED THAT 'IT WAS ABOVE HIM,' IMPLYING THE GS -- I STILL HAD 113.9. I THEN SWAPPED TO THE ILS FREQ AND THE CTLR NOTED OUR DSCNT AS WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO 2200 FT. THE CAPT STARTED DSCNT OUTSIDE THE FAF TO LOC MINIMUMS. WHEN HE PERCEIVED THE GS INOP, NO FLAGS. THE CAPT CLBED BACK TO CLRED ALT WHEN TO CORRECT.

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.