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Pilot of an small transport descended too soon during an instrument VOR DME approach causing an ATC low altitude alert warning.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 291941 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199412 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fyu |
| State Reference | AK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zan |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 291941 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified 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:
Cleared for the VOR DME runway 3 approach to fort yukon. Airport AWOS reporting 200 overcast, 7 mi thin fog layer over the area. Tops at 900 ft MSL. During descent, I descended 3 mi early to 1200 ft MSL. Was supposed to be at 2000 ft MSL. I was VFR on top during this descent with ground contact. Center called and said they were getting an altitude alert and that I went below the stepdown altitude. I checked altimeter setting with the AWOS and it was set correctly. I fly this approach almost daily and had the chart available but not in front of me. I reviewed the chart before descent but always have trouble remembering the altitudes and fixes on this approach for some reason. It is really a very simple approach. I think because I was VFR and had ground contact, I became complacent. From now on the approach plate is going to be on the yoke all the time, not just when I expect to encounter bad WX.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SMT DSNDED TOO SOON DURING AN INST VOR DME APCH CAUSING AN ATC LOW ALT ALERT WARNING.
Narrative: CLRED FOR THE VOR DME RWY 3 APCH TO FORT YUKON. ARPT AWOS RPTING 200 OVCST, 7 MI THIN FOG LAYER OVER THE AREA. TOPS AT 900 FT MSL. DURING DSCNT, I DSNDED 3 MI EARLY TO 1200 FT MSL. WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT 2000 FT MSL. I WAS VFR ON TOP DURING THIS DSCNT WITH GND CONTACT. CTR CALLED AND SAID THEY WERE GETTING AN ALT ALERT AND THAT I WENT BELOW THE STEPDOWN ALT. I CHKED ALTIMETER SETTING WITH THE AWOS AND IT WAS SET CORRECTLY. I FLY THIS APCH ALMOST DAILY AND HAD THE CHART AVAILABLE BUT NOT IN FRONT OF ME. I REVIEWED THE CHART BEFORE DSCNT BUT ALWAYS HAVE TROUBLE REMEMBERING THE ALTS AND FIXES ON THIS APCH FOR SOME REASON. IT IS REALLY A VERY SIMPLE APCH. I THINK BECAUSE I WAS VFR AND HAD GND CONTACT, I BECAME COMPLACENT. FROM NOW ON THE APCH PLATE IS GOING TO BE ON THE YOKE ALL THE TIME, NOT JUST WHEN I EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER BAD WX.
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.