Air carrier medium large transport began descent from assigned altitude prior to turning final appro...

Attributes
ACN	143695
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : okc
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : okc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	143695
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cleared for visibility approach approximately 6-7 mi northwest of airport at 2300' AGL. 'Cleared visibility, maintain 3500' MSL until turning final'. Aircraft heading 150 degree at time of clearance, traveling at 185 KTS. Traveling at this speed and heading, by the time aircraft could have been turned on final it would have been 3 mi from end of runway and at least 2200' above airport. Controller would have satisfied need to be clear of wiley post, but not let aircraft in any semblance of position from which normal or perhaps any landing could be made. New first officer immediately accepted clearance and switched to tower which would not give any relief or acknowledge request from altitude. Having already begun descent, I continued normal approach. The problem was caused by approach not recognizing aircraft capabilities only the need to protect airspace. It was compounded by acceptance of the clearance. We are all trying to make an overcrowded and overworked system succeed west/O thought to who pays the consequences for the FAA's public relations program.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG BEGAN DESCENT FROM ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL APCH AS CLEARED.

Narrative: CLRED FOR VIS APCH APPROX 6-7 MI NW OF ARPT AT 2300' AGL. 'CLRED VIS, MAINTAIN 3500' MSL UNTIL TURNING FINAL'. ACFT HDG 150 DEG AT TIME OF CLRNC, TRAVELING AT 185 KTS. TRAVELING AT THIS SPD AND HDG, BY THE TIME ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN TURNED ON FINAL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 3 MI FROM END OF RWY AND AT LEAST 2200' ABOVE ARPT. CTLR WOULD HAVE SATISFIED NEED TO BE CLR OF WILEY POST, BUT NOT LET ACFT IN ANY SEMBLANCE OF POS FROM WHICH NORMAL OR PERHAPS ANY LNDG COULD BE MADE. NEW F/O IMMEDIATELY ACCEPTED CLRNC AND SWITCHED TO TWR WHICH WOULD NOT GIVE ANY RELIEF OR ACKNOWLEDGE REQUEST FROM ALT. HAVING ALREADY BEGUN DSNT, I CONTINUED NORMAL APCH. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY APCH NOT RECOGNIZING ACFT CAPABILITIES ONLY THE NEED TO PROTECT AIRSPACE. IT WAS COMPOUNDED BY ACCEPTANCE OF THE CLRNC. WE ARE ALL TRYING TO MAKE AN OVERCROWDED AND OVERWORKED SYSTEM SUCCEED W/O THOUGHT TO WHO PAYS THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FAA'S PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM.

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.

Air carrier medium large transport began descent from assigned altitude prior to turning final approach as cleared.