F27 crew had an altitude deviation while approaching sba.

Attributes
ACN	578673
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4600 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sba.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	F27 (Fokker BV)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3850 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	578673
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The captain and I were flying aircraft into sba airport on our regular scheduled run from ont direct sba. The captain was the PF on this leg. We were talking with point mugu on frequency 128.65. I was trying to get the ATIS for sba while also listening to mugu approach. Mugu approach kept pointing out traffic for us to look for. This made it impossible for me to get the ATIS for sba. We were then handed off to sba approach. Since we did not have the ATIS, I asked the captain to cover the #1 frequency while I listened to the ATIS frequency 132.65 at sba. He replied that he had #1. After I had finished getting the ATIS, I returned my radio to #1 frequency and told the captain that I was back on #1 radio. The captain then informed me that we were cleared for the visual approach to runway 25 at sba. I replied affirmative and gave him ATIS information at sba. As we descended to 4600 ft MSL the controller at sba told us that we were supposed to maintain 6000 ft MSL, to which the captain replied to me 'no, we were cleared for the visual.' after being cleared for the visual to runway 25 at sba, it was later discovered that the previous clearance given to the captain was to proceed visually to the airport but to maintain 6000 ft MSL. This was later confirmed by the captain's own voice recorder which he has in his possession and listened to in front of me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F27 CREW HAD AN ALTDEV WHILE APCHING SBA.

Narrative: THE CAPT AND I WERE FLYING ACFT INTO SBA ARPT ON OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED RUN FROM ONT DIRECT SBA. THE CAPT WAS THE PF ON THIS LEG. WE WERE TALKING WITH POINT MUGU ON FREQ 128.65. I WAS TRYING TO GET THE ATIS FOR SBA WHILE ALSO LISTENING TO MUGU APCH. MUGU APCH KEPT POINTING OUT TFC FOR US TO LOOK FOR. THIS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET THE ATIS FOR SBA. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO SBA APCH. SINCE WE DID NOT HAVE THE ATIS, I ASKED THE CAPT TO COVER THE #1 FREQ WHILE I LISTENED TO THE ATIS FREQ 132.65 AT SBA. HE REPLIED THAT HE HAD #1. AFTER I HAD FINISHED GETTING THE ATIS, I RETURNED MY RADIO TO #1 FREQ AND TOLD THE CAPT THAT I WAS BACK ON #1 RADIO. THE CAPT THEN INFORMED ME THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25 AT SBA. I REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE AND GAVE HIM ATIS INFO AT SBA. AS WE DSNDED TO 4600 FT MSL THE CTLR AT SBA TOLD US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT MSL, TO WHICH THE CAPT REPLIED TO ME 'NO, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 25 AT SBA, IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE PREVIOUS CLRNC GIVEN TO THE CAPT WAS TO PROCEED VISUALLY TO THE ARPT BUT TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT MSL. THIS WAS LATER CONFIRMED BY THE CAPT'S OWN VOICE RECORDER WHICH HE HAS IN HIS POSSESSION AND LISTENED TO IN FRONT OF ME.

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.