Non adherence to ATC procedure IAP localizer DME back course approach in premature early descent procedure places air carrier light transport in proximity of obstructions tower ground. Altitude crossing restr not met.

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Attributes
ACN	253280
Time
Date	199309
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 760 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	253280
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : ground critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : assigned or threatened penalties Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Captain was flying the localizer (back course) runway 24 into abe. A note on approach chart indicates the use of etx DME when on iabe localizer course. However, fjc VOR is also depicted on approach chart. Captain inadvertently held the DME from fjc VOR instead of etx VOR and was using it for stepdown altitudes while on the localizer course. After being cleared for the approach, captain thought he was inside the FAF (wiley intersection) and descended to MDA of 760 ft MSL. Being a recent new hire, I was unfamiliar with the approach and was just about to question the captain when ATC notified us that they were receiving a low altitude alert on their radar display of our aircraft (we had intermittent visual contact with ground at the MDA). Shortly thereafter, the captain and I realized the problem and he initiated a climb back to the intermediate altitude of 1800 ft MSL. I then asked ATC for the current altimeter setting. We continued the approach and subsequently landed uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON ADHERENCE TO ATC PROC IAP LOC DME BACK COURSE APCH IN PREMATURE EARLY DSCNT PROC PLACES ACR LTT IN PROX OF OBSTRUCTIONS TWR GND. ALT XING RESTR NOT MET.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING THE LOC (BACK COURSE) RWY 24 INTO ABE. A NOTE ON APCH CHART INDICATES THE USE OF ETX DME WHEN ON IABE LOC COURSE. HOWEVER, FJC VOR IS ALSO DEPICTED ON APCH CHART. CAPT INADVERTENTLY HELD THE DME FROM FJC VOR INSTEAD OF ETX VOR AND WAS USING IT FOR STEPDOWN ALTS WHILE ON THE LOC COURSE. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH, CAPT THOUGHT HE WAS INSIDE THE FAF (WILEY INTXN) AND DSNDED TO MDA OF 760 FT MSL. BEING A RECENT NEW HIRE, I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE APCH AND WAS JUST ABOUT TO QUESTION THE CAPT WHEN ATC NOTIFIED US THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING A LOW ALT ALERT ON THEIR RADAR DISPLAY OF OUR ACFT (WE HAD INTERMITTENT VISUAL CONTACT WITH GND AT THE MDA). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CAPT AND I REALIZED THE PROB AND HE INITIATED A CLB BACK TO THE INTERMEDIATE ALT OF 1800 FT MSL. I THEN ASKED ATC FOR THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.