B757-200 IOE check captain, descended below charted recommended altitudes on the river visual approa...

Attributes
ACN	519920
Time
Date	200108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1400 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : charted visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	519920
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying the river visual approach to runway 19 at dca airport, our aircraft went below the recommended altitude on the procedure. Not sure if any technical rule was violated. However, upon switching over to tower frequency, they asked us to check our altitude. The captain briefed (discussed) the approach procedures, prior to the local area. However, at 10 mi out, and cleared for the approach, he rushed the airplane to descend. Not sure why he was descending toward, and past, the recommended altitudes on the chart. I pointed to our DME, and told him he was low. He continued to descend. Because it was a visual approach, and the chart had recommended altitudes, I voiced my concern again, but did not press the issue, as there was no danger yet. Passing through 1400 (AGL) we switched to tower. Tower warned of our altitude. At that point he leveled off and realized he had descended earlier than normal. It was my first leg on this airplane. The captain was giving me a check ride. Maybe he disregarded my warning because he assumed I was incorrect. DME can be confusing in this airplane, and I believe he was possibly looking at DME on the HSI or CDU, instead of the tuned VOR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 IOE CHK CAPT, DSNDED BELOW CHARTED RECOMMENDED ALTS ON THE RIVER VISUAL APCH TO DCA.

Narrative: FLYING THE RIVER VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19 AT DCA AIRPORT, OUR ACFT WENT BELOW THE RECOMMENDED ALT ON THE PROC. NOT SURE IF ANY TECHNICAL RULE WAS VIOLATED. HOWEVER, UPON SWITCHING OVER TO TWR FREQ, THEY ASKED US TO CHK OUR ALT. THE CAPT BRIEFED (DISCUSSED) THE APCH PROCEDURES, PRIOR TO THE LOCAL AREA. HOWEVER, AT 10 MI OUT, AND CLRED FOR THE APCH, HE RUSHED THE AIRPLANE TO DSND. NOT SURE WHY HE WAS DSNDING TOWARD, AND PAST, THE RECOMMENDED ALTS ON THE CHART. I POINTED TO OUR DME, AND TOLD HIM HE WAS LOW. HE CONTINUED TO DSND. BECAUSE IT WAS A VISUAL APCH, AND THE CHART HAD RECOMMENDED ALTS, I VOICED MY CONCERN AGAIN, BUT DID NOT PRESS THE ISSUE, AS THERE WAS NO DANGER YET. PASSING THROUGH 1400 (AGL) WE SWITCHED TO TWR. TWR WARNED OF OUR ALT. AT THAT POINT HE LEVELED OFF AND REALIZED HE HAD DSNDED EARLIER THAN NORMAL. IT WAS MY FIRST LEG ON THIS AIRPLANE. THE CAPT WAS GIVING ME A CHK RIDE. MAYBE HE DISREGARDED MY WARNING BECAUSE HE ASSUMED I WAS INCORRECT. DME CAN BE CONFUSING IN THIS AIRPLANE, AND I BELIEVE HE WAS POSSIBLY LOOKING AT DME ON THE HSI OR CDU, INSTEAD OF THE TUNED VOR.

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.

B757-200 IOE check captain, descended below charted recommended altitudes on the river visual approach to dca.