GA small aircraft altitude deviation excursion from clearance altitude during ASR approach to btr.

Attributes
ACN	162923
Time
Date	199011
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btr
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : btr
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	162923
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On ASR approach to btr. First officer working radios (first officer is a foreign national, not a native english speaker). Approach issues advisory to descend to 420' in 3 mi. First officer thinks clearance is to descend immediately, and tells me to drop out of 1600' to 400'. Break out of IMC at about 800', no airport in sight. Approach issued climb warning, maximum rate climb entered. Due to headphone problems, I was relying on first officer to work radios. Two things to never do again. Never have radios set up so that I can't understand them, and always make sure first officer can read, speak, and understand english. Tradition of PNF doing all radio work is not always good. Information is relayed second hand to pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT DURING ASR APCH TO BTR.

Narrative: ON ASR APCH TO BTR. F/O WORKING RADIOS (F/O IS A FOREIGN NATIONAL, NOT A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER). APCH ISSUES ADVISORY TO DSND TO 420' IN 3 MI. F/O THINKS CLRNC IS TO DSND IMMEDIATELY, AND TELLS ME TO DROP OUT OF 1600' TO 400'. BREAK OUT OF IMC AT ABOUT 800', NO ARPT IN SIGHT. APCH ISSUED CLB WARNING, MAX RATE CLB ENTERED. DUE TO HEADPHONE PROBS, I WAS RELYING ON F/O TO WORK RADIOS. TWO THINGS TO NEVER DO AGAIN. NEVER HAVE RADIOS SET UP SO THAT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THEM, AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE F/O CAN READ, SPEAK, AND UNDERSTAND ENGLISH. TRADITION OF PNF DOING ALL RADIO WORK IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD. INFO IS RELAYED SEC HAND TO PLT.

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.