Narrative:

Momentary altitude excursion, bogota, columbia, apr/tue/02, caused by misinterp of approach plate profile while being vectored to localizer. After establishing radar control with bogota control, we were cleared on the UG431, as filed, to buv. We were handed off to bogota approach control and were given a clearance to utica and a descent to 12000 ft. Once established on the 240 degree radial from buv toward utica, we were given a clearance to intercept the bog 010 degree radial inbound to the bogota VOR. We were instructed to maintain 12000 ft and maintain 250 KIAS. Once established on the 010 degree radial inbound, we were given a vector of 170 degree heading to intercept the localizer for runway 13R. I glanced at the company approach briefing form, which depicted the approach for runway 13R and it was the briefed runway for landing. We had briefed both approachs to runway 13L&right, but knew runway 13R was the primary runway. On the profile plan view for the approach, it shows the 12000 ft altitude at the VOR and the 10000 ft minimum altitude at the 7.5 mi fix on the 140 degree radial. Momentarily, I thought that the 7.5 mi fix was the VOR and that I should be at 10000 ft, and began a descent, 1500-2000 FPM with speed brake extended. Passing 11200 ft, I realized, along with the other crew members, that I had initiated the descent too early. Simultaneously, bogota approach control told us to climb immediately to 12000 ft. I had already retracted the speed brake and initiated a 2000 FPM climb back to and leveled at 12000 ft. We bottomed out on the descent at 10800 ft. The entire excursion took less than 2 mins. At no time did we see less than 2000 ft on the radio altimeter and we never got any GPWS alerts from top of descent to touchdown. Immediately upon leveling at 12000 ft, bogota approach turned us to a heading of 140 degrees and cleared us for the ILS approach to runway 13R and gave us clearance to land. At that point, we broke out of the WX and corrected back to the ILS GS, and landed uneventfully at XA25Z. In retrospect, I should have asked to go all the way to utica and flown the entire approach as published. I should have also, just to have given myself more time, refused the 'maintain 250 KIAS' clearance by asking permission to slow down. Even accepting the clearance we were given, I should not have descended below 12000 ft before being established on the VOR 140 degree radial or the ILS 132 course inbound. This was a mistake, which was recognized quickly and corrected quickly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-30 CAPT DSNDED BELOW THE APCH TRANSITION PUBLISHED ALT AT FOREIGN ARPT. APCH CTLR NOTICED ERROR AT THE SAME TIME AS THE FLC, AND THE CAPT QUICKLY RETURNED THE ACFT TO PUBLISHED ALT.

Narrative: MOMENTARY ALT EXCURSION, BOGOTA, COLUMBIA, APR/TUE/02, CAUSED BY MISINTERP OF APCH PLATE PROFILE WHILE BEING VECTORED TO LOC. AFTER ESTABLISHING RADAR CTL WITH BOGOTA CTL, WE WERE CLRED ON THE UG431, AS FILED, TO BUV. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO BOGOTA APCH CTL AND WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO UTICA AND A DSCNT TO 12000 FT. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE 240 DEG RADIAL FROM BUV TOWARD UTICA, WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE BOG 010 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO THE BOGOTA VOR. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN 12000 FT AND MAINTAIN 250 KIAS. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE 010 DEG RADIAL INBOUND, WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR OF 170 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 13R. I GLANCED AT THE COMPANY APCH BRIEFING FORM, WHICH DEPICTED THE APCH FOR RWY 13R AND IT WAS THE BRIEFED RWY FOR LNDG. WE HAD BRIEFED BOTH APCHS TO RWY 13L&R, BUT KNEW RWY 13R WAS THE PRIMARY RWY. ON THE PROFILE PLAN VIEW FOR THE APCH, IT SHOWS THE 12000 FT ALT AT THE VOR AND THE 10000 FT MINIMUM ALT AT THE 7.5 MI FIX ON THE 140 DEG RADIAL. MOMENTARILY, I THOUGHT THAT THE 7.5 MI FIX WAS THE VOR AND THAT I SHOULD BE AT 10000 FT, AND BEGAN A DSCNT, 1500-2000 FPM WITH SPD BRAKE EXTENDED. PASSING 11200 FT, I REALIZED, ALONG WITH THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS, THAT I HAD INITIATED THE DSCNT TOO EARLY. SIMULTANEOUSLY, BOGOTA APCH CTL TOLD US TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 12000 FT. I HAD ALREADY RETRACTED THE SPD BRAKE AND INITIATED A 2000 FPM CLB BACK TO AND LEVELED AT 12000 FT. WE BOTTOMED OUT ON THE DSCNT AT 10800 FT. THE ENTIRE EXCURSION TOOK LESS THAN 2 MINS. AT NO TIME DID WE SEE LESS THAN 2000 FT ON THE RADIO ALTIMETER AND WE NEVER GOT ANY GPWS ALERTS FROM TOP OF DSCNT TO TOUCHDOWN. IMMEDIATELY UPON LEVELING AT 12000 FT, BOGOTA APCH TURNED US TO A HDG OF 140 DEGS AND CLRED US FOR THE ILS APCH TO RWY 13R AND GAVE US CLRNC TO LAND. AT THAT POINT, WE BROKE OUT OF THE WX AND CORRECTED BACK TO THE ILS GS, AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT XA25Z. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED TO GO ALL THE WAY TO UTICA AND FLOWN THE ENTIRE APCH AS PUBLISHED. I SHOULD HAVE ALSO, JUST TO HAVE GIVEN MYSELF MORE TIME, REFUSED THE 'MAINTAIN 250 KIAS' CLRNC BY ASKING PERMISSION TO SLOW DOWN. EVEN ACCEPTING THE CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN, I SHOULD NOT HAVE DSNDED BELOW 12000 FT BEFORE BEING ESTABLISHED ON THE VOR 140 DEG RADIAL OR THE ILS 132 COURSE INBOUND. THIS WAS A MISTAKE, WHICH WAS RECOGNIZED QUICKLY AND CORRECTED QUICKLY.

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.