<< >> NASA ASRS Report 525287, September 2001

Falcon 50 flight crew descended below the intermediate back course localizer approach altitude due mainly to an inadequate crew approach briefing.

Attributes
ACN	525287
Time
Date	200109
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ptk.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1900 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ptk.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	525287
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During approach to ptk using the localizer back course runway 27, aircraft went below intermediate altitude of 2300 ft MSL to 1900 ft MSL. I attribute this mistake to 3 things: 1) crew having inadequate rest due to strain of recent events. 2) an early departure coupled with the crew accepting an aircraft that had just come out of maintenance during the previous evening. 3) an inadequate and incomplete approach brief by both the PF and PNF. Also, the fact that this had been the first flying either pilot had done in the past 12 days. Things I would do differently in the future: 1) brief approach to be used prior to departure on short flying legs less than 1 hour, such as this flight. 2) be more careful accepting trips where multiple non flying tasks start adding up before the flight even begins. 3) take time to realize how external events affect one's sleep patterns and ensure oneself adequate rest. 4) be especially careful noting which facility is used for DME on precision and non precision approachs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FALCON 50 FLC DSNDED BELOW THE INTERMEDIATE BACK COURSE LOC APCH ALT DUE MAINLY TO AN INADEQUATE CREW APCH BRIEFING.

Narrative: DURING APCH TO PTK USING THE LOC BACK COURSE RWY 27, ACFT WENT BELOW INTERMEDIATE ALT OF 2300 FT MSL TO 1900 FT MSL. I ATTRIBUTE THIS MISTAKE TO 3 THINGS: 1) CREW HAVING INADEQUATE REST DUE TO STRAIN OF RECENT EVENTS. 2) AN EARLY DEP COUPLED WITH THE CREW ACCEPTING AN ACFT THAT HAD JUST COME OUT OF MAINT DURING THE PREVIOUS EVENING. 3) AN INADEQUATE AND INCOMPLETE APCH BRIEF BY BOTH THE PF AND PNF. ALSO, THE FACT THAT THIS HAD BEEN THE FIRST FLYING EITHER PLT HAD DONE IN THE PAST 12 DAYS. THINGS I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE: 1) BRIEF APCH TO BE USED PRIOR TO DEP ON SHORT FLYING LEGS LESS THAN 1 HR, SUCH AS THIS FLT. 2) BE MORE CAREFUL ACCEPTING TRIPS WHERE MULTIPLE NON FLYING TASKS START ADDING UP BEFORE THE FLT EVEN BEGINS. 3) TAKE TIME TO REALIZE HOW EXTERNAL EVENTS AFFECT ONE'S SLEEP PATTERNS AND ENSURE ONESELF ADEQUATE REST. 4) BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL NOTING WHICH FACILITY IS USED FOR DME ON PRECISION AND NON PRECISION APCHS.

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.