Narrative:

We had 2 capts and 1 first officer. This was a heavy crew due to the captain was close to being timed out. So we had on this approach the original captain, me (first officer) and captain jump seat (we will call captain J). Captain J had already flown his legs. On 2 or 3 other days he had messed with the aircraft systems and instruments west/O flight crew approval. (Twice he had distracted the crew on approachs down to minimums between 4000 and 2000', once resulting in a missed approach that had to be reflown). WX, elko, 6000' scattered, 9500' broken, 30 mi, wind 320/10. Out of 18000' the approach/descent checklist was completed. ATC cleared us to 13000' direct elrod. At 15000' I told the captain I had to contact company to call inbound. At this time captain J wanted the captain to use a different runway for landing. (We were going to use runway 5.) the captain was talking to ATC. At this time we developed an extreme split in pack psi. I told company about it. Also, while I was still on company (captain still with ATC), I noticed we were inside elrod (it is 25 DME off bqu VOR and we were 24) and descending through 13000'. I called elrod. The captain responded, 'roger.' meanwhile, captain J started moving switches on the bleed system, while I was talking to company. I returned to the ATC communication around 10000', as the captain was telling ATC he had elko in sight, but wanted the controller to stay with us (for airspace protection) while we did a visibility to 23 with an ldg backup. ATC said, 'I did not clear you out of 13000', nor did I clear you for an approach.' then ATC cleared us for it. At 6 DME from elko I cancelled IFR for the captain (while captain J was telling us what we were doing wrong). Upon leaving the aircraft I told the captain he should talk to ATC over the phone to see what happened. He finally called them. He responded after talking to them that the controller told him to be more careful and watch what he was doing. Captain J told me I created confusion in the cockpit and it was my fault for doing an unauthorized approach ?!?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG DESCENDING FOR APCH TO ELKO. CAPT SIGHTED ARPT AND STARTED VISUAL APCH AND DESCENT BEFORE BEING CLEARED BY CENTER.

Narrative: WE HAD 2 CAPTS AND 1 F/O. THIS WAS A HEAVY CREW DUE TO THE CAPT WAS CLOSE TO BEING TIMED OUT. SO WE HAD ON THIS APCH THE ORIGINAL CAPT, ME (F/O) AND CAPT JUMP SEAT (WE WILL CALL CAPT J). CAPT J HAD ALREADY FLOWN HIS LEGS. ON 2 OR 3 OTHER DAYS HE HAD MESSED WITH THE ACFT SYSTEMS AND INSTRUMENTS W/O FLT CREW APPROVAL. (TWICE HE HAD DISTRACTED THE CREW ON APCHS DOWN TO MINIMUMS BTWN 4000 AND 2000', ONCE RESULTING IN A MISSED APCH THAT HAD TO BE REFLOWN). WX, ELKO, 6000' SCATTERED, 9500' BROKEN, 30 MI, WIND 320/10. OUT OF 18000' THE APCH/DSNT CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. ATC CLRED US TO 13000' DIRECT ELROD. AT 15000' I TOLD THE CAPT I HAD TO CONTACT COMPANY TO CALL INBND. AT THIS TIME CAPT J WANTED THE CAPT TO USE A DIFFERENT RWY FOR LNDG. (WE WERE GOING TO USE RWY 5.) THE CAPT WAS TALKING TO ATC. AT THIS TIME WE DEVELOPED AN EXTREME SPLIT IN PACK PSI. I TOLD COMPANY ABOUT IT. ALSO, WHILE I WAS STILL ON COMPANY (CAPT STILL WITH ATC), I NOTICED WE WERE INSIDE ELROD (IT IS 25 DME OFF BQU VOR AND WE WERE 24) AND DSNDING THROUGH 13000'. I CALLED ELROD. THE CAPT RESPONDED, 'ROGER.' MEANWHILE, CAPT J STARTED MOVING SWITCHES ON THE BLEED SYS, WHILE I WAS TALKING TO COMPANY. I RETURNED TO THE ATC COM AROUND 10000', AS THE CAPT WAS TELLING ATC HE HAD ELKO IN SIGHT, BUT WANTED THE CTLR TO STAY WITH US (FOR AIRSPACE PROTECTION) WHILE WE DID A VIS TO 23 WITH AN LDG BACKUP. ATC SAID, 'I DID NOT CLR YOU OUT OF 13000', NOR DID I CLR YOU FOR AN APCH.' THEN ATC CLRED US FOR IT. AT 6 DME FROM ELKO I CANCELLED IFR FOR THE CAPT (WHILE CAPT J WAS TELLING US WHAT WE WERE DOING WRONG). UPON LEAVING THE ACFT I TOLD THE CAPT HE SHOULD TALK TO ATC OVER THE PHONE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. HE FINALLY CALLED THEM. HE RESPONDED AFTER TALKING TO THEM THAT THE CTLR TOLD HIM TO BE MORE CAREFUL AND WATCH WHAT HE WAS DOING. CAPT J TOLD ME I CREATED CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT AND IT WAS MY FAULT FOR DOING AN UNAUTH APCH ?!?

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.