A B727 flight crew starts an early descent during an attempted visual to runway 18L at tpa, fl.

Attributes
ACN	486203
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Rain Thunderstorm Windshear Turbulence other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa.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 : 18l other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 980
ASRS Report	486203
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	486204
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to tampa international airport, with approach control, on radar vectors to runway 18R, level at 2000 ft MSL. Moderate turbulence and strong winds out of the southwest. Surface winds (ATIS) were 220 degrees at 20 KTS, gusts to 29 KTS. Estimate winds at 2000 ft MSL were much greater. WX was part of hurricane/tropical storm. Approach control gave a turn to intercept runway 18R localizer. Upon reaching assigned heading, controller commented he had turned us 'late' and to 'try' a 200 degree heading to reintercept the runway 18R localizer. Referencing compass locator (cosme), it appeared the 200 degree heading would intercept course inside FAF. Additionally, we determined there were numerous thunderstorms on runway 18R final. We had runway 18L visually and advised we could take runway 18L. He replied, 'ok, cleared for the left side.' began visual approach to runway 18L, descended below GS intercept altitude in attempt to maintain visual contact with runway environment, due to rain showers/virga. Approach control noted we were below GS and queried if we still had the runway visually. We advised we had momentarily lost runway environment and had leveled at 1600 ft MSL. We immediately reacquired runway 18L environment, maintained 1600 ft MSL until reintercepting GS/normal glide path, and accomplished visual approach and landing to runway 18L at tampa. At no time did we lose ground contact or forward visibility less than 5 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC STARTS AN EARLY DSCNT DURING AN ATTEMPTED VISUAL TO RWY 18L AT TPA, FL.

Narrative: ENRTE TO TAMPA INTL ARPT, WITH APCH CTL, ON RADAR VECTORS TO RWY 18R, LEVEL AT 2000 FT MSL. MODERATE TURB AND STRONG WINDS OUT OF THE SW. SURFACE WINDS (ATIS) WERE 220 DEGS AT 20 KTS, GUSTS TO 29 KTS. ESTIMATE WINDS AT 2000 FT MSL WERE MUCH GREATER. WX WAS PART OF HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM. APCH CTL GAVE A TURN TO INTERCEPT RWY 18R LOC. UPON REACHING ASSIGNED HEADING, CTLR COMMENTED HE HAD TURNED US 'LATE' AND TO 'TRY' A 200 DEG HDG TO REINTERCEPT THE RWY 18R LOC. REFING COMPASS LOCATOR (COSME), IT APPEARED THE 200 DEG HDG WOULD INTERCEPT COURSE INSIDE FAF. ADDITIONALLY, WE DETERMINED THERE WERE NUMEROUS TSTMS ON RWY 18R FINAL. WE HAD RWY 18L VISUALLY AND ADVISED WE COULD TAKE RWY 18L. HE REPLIED, 'OK, CLRED FOR THE L SIDE.' BEGAN VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18L, DSNDED BELOW GS INTERCEPT ALT IN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH RWY ENVIRONMENT, DUE TO RAIN SHOWERS/VIRGA. APCH CTL NOTED WE WERE BELOW GS AND QUERIED IF WE STILL HAD THE RWY VISUALLY. WE ADVISED WE HAD MOMENTARILY LOST RWY ENVIRONMENT AND HAD LEVELED AT 1600 FT MSL. WE IMMEDIATELY REACQUIRED RWY 18L ENVIRONMENT, MAINTAINED 1600 FT MSL UNTIL REINTERCEPTING GS/NORMAL GLIDE PATH, AND ACCOMPLISHED VISUAL APCH AND LNDG TO RWY 18L AT TAMPA. AT NO TIME DID WE LOSE GND CONTACT OR FORWARD VISIBILITY LESS THAN 5 MI.

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.