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An air carrier flight crew performs a premature descent when expecting a visual approach to beef island, vi, eis, first officer.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 486300 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200009 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | PR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 2330 flight time type : 105 |
| ASRS Report | 486300 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were cleared to descend to 4000 ft MSL. During the descent, we requested a visual approach to eis with the airport in sight. ATC replied to standby until abeam stt VOR. The PNF, during the descent (approximately 4800 ft MSL), asked ' how low can we descend to for the visual approach?' the PNF said '1500 ft.' the PF set 1500 ft in the autoplt box and continued descending at 600 FPM. The PF asked to confirm 1500 ft set. The PNF said 'set,' which was in error. During conversation, it was a miscom that the PF misunderstood that the PNF said 'set.' ATC requested the altitude we were at. At the time we were at 2700 ft MSL and descending at 600 FPM. ATC requested us to maintain 3200 ft MSL and the crew complied. No conflict occurred.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FLC PERFORMS A PREMATURE DSCNT WHEN EXPECTING A VISUAL APCH TO BEEF ISLAND, VI, EIS, FO.
Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 4000 FT MSL. DURING THE DSCNT, WE REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH TO EIS WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT. ATC REPLIED TO STANDBY UNTIL ABEAM STT VOR. THE PNF, DURING THE DSCNT (APPROX 4800 FT MSL), ASKED ' HOW LOW CAN WE DSND TO FOR THE VISUAL APCH?' THE PNF SAID '1500 FT.' THE PF SET 1500 FT IN THE AUTOPLT BOX AND CONTINUED DSNDING AT 600 FPM. THE PF ASKED TO CONFIRM 1500 FT SET. THE PNF SAID 'SET,' WHICH WAS IN ERROR. DURING CONVERSATION, IT WAS A MISCOM THAT THE PF MISUNDERSTOOD THAT THE PNF SAID 'SET.' ATC REQUESTED THE ALT WE WERE AT. AT THE TIME WE WERE AT 2700 FT MSL AND DSNDING AT 600 FPM. ATC REQUESTED US TO MAINTAIN 3200 FT MSL AND THE CREW COMPLIED. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED.
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.