Narrative:

Trip destination was ase. Approaching dbl; we determined ase was below minimums and ril; our first alternate; was also below minimums. We chose ege as our new destination because of its good WX. We took delaying vectors to load the approach. Both pilots expressed confusion at what approachs the FMS database was offering; our approach was not listed (due to being a circle to land approach). For situational awareness reasons we decided to build the approach in the FMS and navigation using raw data. At this point the controller began turning us back towards the IAF and we began to review what had been entered. Looking back; it is at this point that we should have discontinued our approach due to feeling rushed. In our haste we both failed to realize that the altitudes were entered at the wrong fixes on our 'built' approach. Crossing the IAF; I called for the next altitude as indicated by the FMS and descended. Reaching the new altitude the controller queried our altitude; which we indicated was 13000 ft. He informed us we should be at 14000 ft for that segment of the approach. We immediately climbed back to 14000 ft and finished the approach with no further incident. The controller did us an outstanding service. Several factors contributed to this deviation: 1) I had less than 5 hours sleep and an 0300 wake-up. This was the 4TH leg of the day after 12 hours of being awake. Fatigue was an issue; especially in regards to our confusion with the FMS. 2) we did not know our ultimate destination until the last min which caused us to rush and feel rushed. 3) we allowed the controller to turn us onto the approach before we were ready. Again; we allowed ourselves to be rushed even though we had plenty of fuel and options. Had we simply slowed down; entered a hold and reviewed the approach as we normally would this event would not have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HS-125 FLT CREW ON A NON PRECISION APCH TO EGE; THEIR SECOND ALTERNATE; HAS AN ALTDEV.

Narrative: TRIP DEST WAS ASE. APCHING DBL; WE DETERMINED ASE WAS BELOW MINIMUMS AND RIL; OUR FIRST ALTERNATE; WAS ALSO BELOW MINIMUMS. WE CHOSE EGE AS OUR NEW DEST BECAUSE OF ITS GOOD WX. WE TOOK DELAYING VECTORS TO LOAD THE APCH. BOTH PLTS EXPRESSED CONFUSION AT WHAT APCHS THE FMS DATABASE WAS OFFERING; OUR APCH WAS NOT LISTED (DUE TO BEING A CIRCLE TO LAND APCH). FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS REASONS WE DECIDED TO BUILD THE APCH IN THE FMS AND NAV USING RAW DATA. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR BEGAN TURNING US BACK TOWARDS THE IAF AND WE BEGAN TO REVIEW WHAT HAD BEEN ENTERED. LOOKING BACK; IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DISCONTINUED OUR APCH DUE TO FEELING RUSHED. IN OUR HASTE WE BOTH FAILED TO REALIZE THAT THE ALTS WERE ENTERED AT THE WRONG FIXES ON OUR 'BUILT' APCH. XING THE IAF; I CALLED FOR THE NEXT ALT AS INDICATED BY THE FMS AND DSNDED. REACHING THE NEW ALT THE CTLR QUERIED OUR ALT; WHICH WE INDICATED WAS 13000 FT. HE INFORMED US WE SHOULD BE AT 14000 FT FOR THAT SEGMENT OF THE APCH. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 14000 FT AND FINISHED THE APCH WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CTLR DID US AN OUTSTANDING SVC. SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS DEV: 1) I HAD LESS THAN 5 HRS SLEEP AND AN 0300 WAKE-UP. THIS WAS THE 4TH LEG OF THE DAY AFTER 12 HRS OF BEING AWAKE. FATIGUE WAS AN ISSUE; ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO OUR CONFUSION WITH THE FMS. 2) WE DID NOT KNOW OUR ULTIMATE DEST UNTIL THE LAST MIN WHICH CAUSED US TO RUSH AND FEEL RUSHED. 3) WE ALLOWED THE CTLR TO TURN US ONTO THE APCH BEFORE WE WERE READY. AGAIN; WE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO BE RUSHED EVEN THOUGH WE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL AND OPTIONS. HAD WE SIMPLY SLOWED DOWN; ENTERED A HOLD AND REVIEWED THE APCH AS WE NORMALLY WOULD THIS EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.