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A DC9 flight crew allows their aircraft to fly 100 ft below the chart depicted altitude while the first officer, PF, was looking for traffic on the runway 30L lda approach at stl, mo.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 482120 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200008 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : stl.airport |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : t75.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer only : 30l |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : t75.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 30r |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 482120 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airspace Structure Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were flying on the localizer (lda) for an approach to runway 30L at stl. The other aircraft (B737) was lined up for the parallel runway and below us (approximately 1000-1500 ft). The controller kept calling out his position, but we could not make him out quickly. The first officer (PF) was trying to see him also, and trying to level off at the assigned altitude. Being a low time pilot in the aircraft and probationary pilot, he was falling behind the situation. Plus, he noticed we were getting close to the airport and still fairly high. With these factors combined, he let the aircraft drift below his assigned altitude. I noticed initially he was a little low (within 100 ft) and called out 'altitude,' then proceeded to look for traffic again. We saw him and reported traffic in sight. At that time I called out 'altitude' again because we were below our assigned altitude at that point and told him to get back where we belong. We were then cleared for the visual approach. In the future, I will try to be more aware of the limitations of a new first officer in a demanding environment. I will try to gauge his/her situational awareness and act accordingly to keep our aircraft/passenger safe.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC9 FLC ALLOWS THEIR ACFT TO FLY 100 FT BELOW THE CHART DEPICTED ALT WHILE THE FO, PF, WAS LOOKING FOR TFC ON THE RWY 30L LDA APCH AT STL, MO.
Narrative: WE WERE FLYING ON THE LOC (LDA) FOR AN APCH TO RWY 30L AT STL. THE OTHER ACFT (B737) WAS LINED UP FOR THE PARALLEL RWY AND BELOW US (APPROX 1000-1500 FT). THE CTLR KEPT CALLING OUT HIS POS, BUT WE COULD NOT MAKE HIM OUT QUICKLY. THE FO (PF) WAS TRYING TO SEE HIM ALSO, AND TRYING TO LEVEL OFF AT THE ASSIGNED ALT. BEING A LOW TIME PLT IN THE ACFT AND PROBATIONARY PLT, HE WAS FALLING BEHIND THE SIT. PLUS, HE NOTICED WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE ARPT AND STILL FAIRLY HIGH. WITH THESE FACTORS COMBINED, HE LET THE ACFT DRIFT BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALT. I NOTICED INITIALLY HE WAS A LITTLE LOW (WITHIN 100 FT) AND CALLED OUT 'ALT,' THEN PROCEEDED TO LOOK FOR TFC AGAIN. WE SAW HIM AND RPTED TFC IN SIGHT. AT THAT TIME I CALLED OUT 'ALT' AGAIN BECAUSE WE WERE BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT AT THAT POINT AND TOLD HIM TO GET BACK WHERE WE BELONG. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TRY TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF A NEW FO IN A DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT. I WILL TRY TO GAUGE HIS/HER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND ACT ACCORDINGLY TO KEEP OUR ACFT/PAX SAFE.
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.