Meters/feet confusion and QFE altimetry conspired to cause an air carrier widebody crew to descend b...

Attributes
ACN	948072
Time
Date	201105
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	UUDD.Airport
State Reference	FO
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Altitude Alert
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 82 Flight Crew Total 12800 Flight Crew Type 4030
Person 2
Function	Relief Pilot Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 210 Flight Crew Total 13500 Flight Crew Type 4900
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

In the terminal area of uudd we were on a right downwind vector for runway 32L. Radar control then gave us an intercept to final of 280 heading. Radar then assigned us a heading of 300; a descent to 300 meters (1;600 ft); and cleared us for the approach. I; as the pilot not flying read back the clearance; and the relief pilot verified the altitude read back along with referencing the conversion chart from meters to feet. I referenced the chart as well and set both meters in the VOR radial window and feet in the MCP altitude window. We were already below the glide path and we continued a slow descent to the assigned altitude; it appeared that radar control intended us to intercept the glide slope from below in level flight at 300 meters. As soon as we descended below the overcast ceiling; and immediately acquiring the runway visually I knew that we were too low for the distance from the runway. I mentioned this to the pilot flying who went visual and agreed. We had not yet reached the assigned altitude and the pilot flying began to initiate a level off when the controller stated that we were below the vectoring altitude and instructed us to climb to 500 meters. We climbed to 500 meters; intercepted the glide slope outside the FAF and executed a normal approach and landing. There was no further communications with moscow control regarding this issue. It is my assumption that the controller assigned us an incorrect altitude and did not correct it from the read back.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Meters/feet confusion and QFE altimetry conspired to cause an air carrier widebody crew to descend below their cleared altitude on vectors to final at UUDD.

Narrative: In the terminal area of UUDD we were on a right downwind vector for Runway 32L. Radar Control then gave us an intercept to final of 280 heading. Radar then assigned us a heading of 300; a descent to 300 meters (1;600 FT); and cleared us for the approach. I; as the pilot not flying read back the clearance; and the Relief Pilot verified the altitude read back along with referencing the conversion chart from meters to feet. I referenced the chart as well and set both meters in the VOR radial window and feet in the MCP altitude window. We were already below the glide path and we continued a slow descent to the assigned altitude; it appeared that Radar Control intended us to intercept the glide slope from below in level flight at 300 meters. As soon as we descended below the overcast ceiling; and immediately acquiring the runway visually I knew that we were too low for the distance from the runway. I mentioned this to the pilot flying who went visual and agreed. We had not yet reached the assigned altitude and the pilot flying began to initiate a level off when the Controller stated that we were below the vectoring altitude and instructed us to climb to 500 meters. We climbed to 500 meters; intercepted the glide slope outside the FAF and executed a normal approach and landing. There was no further communications with Moscow Control regarding this issue. It is my assumption that the Controller assigned us an incorrect altitude and did not correct it from the read back.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Meters/feet confusion and QFE altimetry conspired to cause an air carrier widebody crew to descend below their cleared altitude on vectors to final at uudd.