Narrative:

Deviation from clearance altitude. On downwind for ILS runway 17L at mco, orlando approach changed the approach to ILS runway 18R, GS inoperative. To avoid a cell, we accepted a 90 degree heading change which put us on a very tight base leg. Descending below the cloud base, we saw the airport, and orl approach issued a clearance for a visual approach to runway 18R. We accepted the approach, and they added not to descend below 2500 ft MSL until after orl VOR. With the very tight base leg we were descending rapidly to be ready for the on precision approach to runway 18R, which has a stepdown altitude to the FAF of 2200 ft MSL. We were unable to level off at the 2500 ft MSL restr, and descended to approximately 2300 ft MSL before leveling off. The orl VOR is inside the FAF, which obviously puts you above the profile for the instrument approachs to runway 18R. Orl approach needs to consider the workload of crews during thunderstorm avoidance, and minimize last-min runway changes. Also, receiving an altitude restr that is above the charted approach altitudes is not an expected condition, and if it is a routine clearance from orl approach, then maybe it should be included as a note on the runway 18R approach plate. Supplemental information from acn 620560: they then vectored us through an area of clouds and immediately in front of a large cumulo nimbus cell. With 90 degrees of turn to go to align with runway 18R, orl approach issued (and we accepted) a visual clearance to runway 18R. Orl approach then cleared us to cross the orl VOR at or above 2500 ft. We accepted the clearance. Lesson learned: we should not have accepted the altitude restr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW OVERSHOT THE XING RESTR TO CROSS ORL AT OR ABOVE 2500 FT ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18R.

Narrative: DEV FROM CLRNC ALT. ON DOWNWIND FOR ILS RWY 17L AT MCO, ORLANDO APCH CHANGED THE APCH TO ILS RWY 18R, GS INOP. TO AVOID A CELL, WE ACCEPTED A 90 DEG HDG CHANGE WHICH PUT US ON A VERY TIGHT BASE LEG. DSNDING BELOW THE CLOUD BASE, WE SAW THE ARPT, AND ORL APCH ISSUED A CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18R. WE ACCEPTED THE APCH, AND THEY ADDED NOT TO DSND BELOW 2500 FT MSL UNTIL AFTER ORL VOR. WITH THE VERY TIGHT BASE LEG WE WERE DSNDING RAPIDLY TO BE READY FOR THE ON PRECISION APCH TO RWY 18R, WHICH HAS A STEPDOWN ALT TO THE FAF OF 2200 FT MSL. WE WERE UNABLE TO LEVEL OFF AT THE 2500 FT MSL RESTR, AND DSNDED TO APPROX 2300 FT MSL BEFORE LEVELING OFF. THE ORL VOR IS INSIDE THE FAF, WHICH OBVIOUSLY PUTS YOU ABOVE THE PROFILE FOR THE INST APCHS TO RWY 18R. ORL APCH NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE WORKLOAD OF CREWS DURING TSTM AVOIDANCE, AND MINIMIZE LAST-MIN RWY CHANGES. ALSO, RECEIVING AN ALT RESTR THAT IS ABOVE THE CHARTED APCH ALTS IS NOT AN EXPECTED CONDITION, AND IF IT IS A ROUTINE CLRNC FROM ORL APCH, THEN MAYBE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS A NOTE ON THE RWY 18R APCH PLATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 620560: THEY THEN VECTORED US THROUGH AN AREA OF CLOUDS AND IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF A LARGE CUMULO NIMBUS CELL. WITH 90 DEGS OF TURN TO GO TO ALIGN WITH RWY 18R, ORL APCH ISSUED (AND WE ACCEPTED) A VISUAL CLRNC TO RWY 18R. ORL APCH THEN CLRED US TO CROSS THE ORL VOR AT OR ABOVE 2500 FT. WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC. LESSON LEARNED: WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE ALT RESTR.

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.