A B767 crew, on approach to zurich, (lszh) prematurely descended below the initial approach altitude...

Attributes
ACN	545287
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lszh.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 14
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : 341
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7200
ASRS Report	545287
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : gpws other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Descended below published instrument approach altitude in VMC after approach clearance. ATIS indicated runway 16 ILS for landing. Approach control cleared us for localizer/DME to runway 14. After approach clearance, confusion resulted from reprogramming CDU. We descended below 4000 ft before descent point. After passing 3700 ft, controller told us to return immediately to 4000 ft. We complied and landing was completed without event. Confusion resulted from preparing for runway 16 and last min changing to runway 14.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CREW, ON APCH TO ZURICH, (LSZH) PREMATURELY DSNDED BELOW THE INITIAL APCH ALT.

Narrative: DSNDED BELOW PUBLISHED INST APCH ALT IN VMC AFTER APCH CLRNC. ATIS INDICATED RWY 16 ILS FOR LNDG. APCH CTL CLRED US FOR LOC/DME TO RWY 14. AFTER APCH CLRNC, CONFUSION RESULTED FROM REPROGRAMMING CDU. WE DSNDED BELOW 4000 FT BEFORE DSCNT POINT. AFTER PASSING 3700 FT, CTLR TOLD US TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO 4000 FT. WE COMPLIED AND LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT EVENT. CONFUSION RESULTED FROM PREPARING FOR RWY 16 AND LAST MIN CHANGING TO RWY 14.

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.