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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Searching for the airport, at the end of an IFR flight with the sun in his eyes, a king air pilot descends 500 ft below his assigned altitude during an arrival at oak. ATC notes the excursion, the airport is sighted and IFR flight plan is canceled.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 528190 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200110 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : charter |
| Make Model Name | Super King Air 350 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : charter |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 528190 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Oak approach cleared me to descend from 6000 ft MSL to 4000 ft MSL, and report airport in sight. I was facing the sun, and there was haze in the area. On the descent the sun was in my eyes, as I was looking for the airport I went below my assigned altitude by 500 ft, and then climbed back to assigned altitude. Oak reminded me that my assigned altitude was 4000 ft. After reaching 4000 ft, I requested a visual and then cancelled IFR, and proceeded VFR and landed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SEARCHING FOR THE ARPT, AT THE END OF AN IFR FLT WITH THE SUN IN HIS EYES, A KING AIR PLT DSNDS 500 FT BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE DURING AN ARR AT OAK. ATC NOTES THE EXCURSION, THE ARPT IS SIGHTED AND IFR FLT PLAN IS CANCELED.
Narrative: OAK APCH CLEARED ME TO DSND FROM 6000 FT MSL TO 4000 FT MSL, AND RPT ARPT IN SIGHT. I WAS FACING THE SUN, AND THERE WAS HAZE IN THE AREA. ON THE DESCENT THE SUN WAS IN MY EYES, AS I WAS LOOKING FOR THE ARPT I WENT BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT BY 500 FT, AND THEN CLBED BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT. OAK REMINDED ME THAT MY ASSIGNED ALT WAS 4000 FT. AFTER REACHING 4000 FT, I REQUESTED A VISUAL AND THEN CANCELLED IFR, AND PROCEEDED VFR AND LANDED.
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.