Min safe altitude warning account aircraft descended 600 ft below FAF crossing altitude.

Attributes
ACN	198416
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pia
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1900 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pia tower : ixd
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2900
ASRS Report	198416
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a localizer approach to runway 13, initial altitude is 2500 MSL. FAF is adler 2.8 DME off peoria VORTAC. First officer started the descent 1 mi before the FAF. When I called miss approach we were at the FAF. I had the airport environment in sight. First officer thought the FAF was 3.8 DME. To correct the situation is to pay close attention. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: controller was vectoring the aircraft for the localizer approach and was rushing the procedure. Reporter realized they had not passed the FAF and advised the first officer, PF, to maintain altitude. Tower at that time called they had a min safe altitude warning alert. Analyst suggested to the captain to council the first officer to always use radial for intersection information versus DME. He agreed and said the first officer was very concerned of his deviation. Had descended to 1900 ft when the captain advised to maintain altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIN SAFE ALT WARNING ACCOUNT ACFT DSNDED 600 FT BELOW FAF XING ALT.

Narrative: ON A LOC APCH TO RWY 13, INITIAL ALT IS 2500 MSL. FAF IS ADLER 2.8 DME OFF PEORIA VORTAC. FO STARTED THE DSCNT 1 MI BEFORE THE FAF. WHEN I CALLED MISS APCH WE WERE AT THE FAF. I HAD THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT. FO THOUGHT THE FAF WAS 3.8 DME. TO CORRECT THE SITUATION IS TO PAY CLOSE ATTN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CTLR WAS VECTORING THE ACFT FOR THE LOC APCH AND WAS RUSHING THE PROC. RPTR REALIZED THEY HAD NOT PASSED THE FAF AND ADVISED THE FO, PF, TO MAINTAIN ALT. TWR AT THAT TIME CALLED THEY HAD A MIN SAFE ALT WARNING ALERT. ANALYST SUGGESTED TO THE CAPT TO COUNCIL THE FO TO ALWAYS USE RADIAL FOR INTXN INFO VERSUS DME. HE AGREED AND SAID THE FO WAS VERY CONCERNED OF HIS DEV. HAD DSNDED TO 1900 FT WHEN THE CAPT ADVISED TO MAINTAIN ALT.

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.