<< >> NASA ASRS Report 513500, June 2001

First officer of B737 started approach descent early causing an altitude excursion caused by being tuned to the wrong ILS frequency.

Attributes
ACN	513500
Time
Date	200106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jfk.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 17
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	513500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	513485
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nav aid freq other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared the ILS runway 17 at mco. We were also issued '4000 ft till established.' the copilot was flying. I (the captain) saw 9 DME on my side and said 'there's glossi, cleared down to 2500 ft' when we were on course. We started a descent. At 3600 ft I realized that my navaids were not on the runway 17 ILS/DME, they were on orl (frequency 112.2) which is about 6 mi closer. The copilot took off the autoplt and initiated a climb. Just then, mco approach called and requested for us to maintain 4000 ft, because 'there's an aircraft below you at 2000 ft.' we returned to 4000 ft and continued the approach. I asked the controller if we'd caused a conflict, and he replied, 'no, no problem.' however, I wanted to report this. I let my guard down on the last leg of a 3-DAY trip. Smoke and haze were present, and without seeing anything familiar on the ground, I should have stuck to my instrument approach procedures, making sure all my navaids (on my side) were tuned to the proper frequencys to shoot the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF B737 STARTED APCH DSCNT EARLY CAUSING AN ALT EXCURSION CAUSED BY BEING TUNED TO THE WRONG ILS FREQ.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED THE ILS RWY 17 AT MCO. WE WERE ALSO ISSUED '4000 FT TILL ESTABLISHED.' THE COPLT WAS FLYING. I (THE CAPT) SAW 9 DME ON MY SIDE AND SAID 'THERE'S GLOSSI, CLRED DOWN TO 2500 FT' WHEN WE WERE ON COURSE. WE STARTED A DSCNT. AT 3600 FT I REALIZED THAT MY NAVAIDS WERE NOT ON THE RWY 17 ILS/DME, THEY WERE ON ORL (FREQ 112.2) WHICH IS ABOUT 6 MI CLOSER. THE COPLT TOOK OFF THE AUTOPLT AND INITIATED A CLB. JUST THEN, MCO APCH CALLED AND REQUESTED FOR US TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT, BECAUSE 'THERE'S AN ACFT BELOW YOU AT 2000 FT.' WE RETURNED TO 4000 FT AND CONTINUED THE APCH. I ASKED THE CTLR IF WE'D CAUSED A CONFLICT, AND HE REPLIED, 'NO, NO PROB.' HOWEVER, I WANTED TO RPT THIS. I LET MY GUARD DOWN ON THE LAST LEG OF A 3-DAY TRIP. SMOKE AND HAZE WERE PRESENT, AND WITHOUT SEEING ANYTHING FAMILIAR ON THE GND, I SHOULD HAVE STUCK TO MY INST APCH PROCS, MAKING SURE ALL MY NAVAIDS (ON MY SIDE) WERE TUNED TO THE PROPER FREQS TO SHOOT THE APCH.

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.