Saab 340B flight crew has an altitude deviation on approach to ciu.

Attributes
ACN	722113
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czyz.artcc
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czyz.artcc tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	722113
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	722114
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were on the NDB runway 34 approach; 336 degrees off koloe at what we thought was tatoe (30.7 DME off pln) we started down to 2400 ft MSL. Toronto center called and said that we were low for that area in that we were still 12 mi from tatoe. We climbed back up to 4000 ft. We then realized that on this approach you will pass the 30.7 pln-DME twice. Event may have occurred because I 'held' the DME off pln and put in the next radial to identify the FAF; and did not have the identing radial for tatoe displayed. Displaying/using the pln radial to identify the tatoe fix; rather than just the DME off pln. On the approach plate it would be helpful under the tatoe fix to either have no DME (forcing a pilot to reference the information from the IAF) or the DME and radial information combined; just like the IAF information.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAAB 340B FLT CREW HAS AN ALTDEV ON APCH TO CIU.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE NDB RWY 34 APCH; 336 DEGS OFF KOLOE AT WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS TATOE (30.7 DME OFF PLN) WE STARTED DOWN TO 2400 FT MSL. TORONTO CTR CALLED AND SAID THAT WE WERE LOW FOR THAT AREA IN THAT WE WERE STILL 12 MI FROM TATOE. WE CLBED BACK UP TO 4000 FT. WE THEN REALIZED THAT ON THIS APCH YOU WILL PASS THE 30.7 PLN-DME TWICE. EVENT MAY HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE I 'HELD' THE DME OFF PLN AND PUT IN THE NEXT RADIAL TO IDENT THE FAF; AND DID NOT HAVE THE IDENTING RADIAL FOR TATOE DISPLAYED. DISPLAYING/USING THE PLN RADIAL TO IDENT THE TATOE FIX; RATHER THAN JUST THE DME OFF PLN. ON THE APCH PLATE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL UNDER THE TATOE FIX TO EITHER HAVE NO DME (FORCING A PLT TO REF THE INFO FROM THE IAF) OR THE DME AND RADIAL INFO COMBINED; JUST LIKE THE IAF INFO.

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.