Medium large transport has altitude deviation while trying to sight traffic.

Attributes
ACN	295712
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9700 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den tower : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	295712
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
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 other

Narrative:

We were approaching den from the southeast. Another aircraft was approaching den from the northeast. Visual approachs were being conducted to runway 26L and runway 26R. We were given 'descend and maintenance 10000 ft - report the traffic and airport in sight.' we reported the airport but not the traffic. We were told to expect runway 26R and aircraft from the northeast was told to expect runway 26L. We leveled at 10000 ft. The controller kept asking if we had the traffic - while both of us were trying to locate the traffic we descended below 10000 ft. We saw the traffic there was no conflict he was below and ahead of us. The controller reiterated our assigned altitude - we called visual on the traffic and were cleared the visual to runway 26R - uneventful landing followed. Recommendations: when 2 aircraft are approaching den - one from northeast and one from southeast, don't make them cross each other to land - the traffic from northeast should be cleared to land on runway 26R and traffic from southeast should be cleared to land on runway 26L (not vice versa as in this case) looking for traffic that's hard to see against ground clutter converging on runway 26L and runway 26R at den lends itself to this type of occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS ALTDEV WHILE TRYING TO SIGHT TFC.

Narrative: WE WERE APCHING DEN FROM THE SE. ANOTHER ACFT WAS APCHING DEN FROM THE NE. VISUAL APCHS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO RWY 26L AND RWY 26R. WE WERE GIVEN 'DSND AND MAINT 10000 FT - RPT THE TFC AND AIRPORT IN SIGHT.' WE RPTED THE AIRPORT BUT NOT THE TFC. WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 26R AND ACFT FROM THE NE WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 26L. WE LEVELED AT 10000 FT. THE CTLR KEPT ASKING IF WE HAD THE TFC - WHILE BOTH OF US WERE TRYING TO LOCATE THE TFC WE DSNDED BELOW 10000 FT. WE SAW THE TFC THERE WAS NO CONFLICT HE WAS BELOW AND AHEAD OF US. THE CTLR REITERATED OUR ASSIGNED ALT - WE CALLED VISUAL ON THE TFC AND WERE CLRED THE VISUAL TO RWY 26R - UNEVENTFUL LNDG FOLLOWED. RECOMMENDATIONS: WHEN 2 ACFT ARE APCHING DEN - ONE FROM NE AND ONE FROM SE, DON'T MAKE THEM CROSS EACH OTHER TO LAND - THE TFC FROM NE SHOULD BE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26R AND TFC FROM SE SHOULD BE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26L (NOT VICE VERSA AS IN THIS CASE) LOOKING FOR TFC THAT'S HARD TO SEE AGAINST GND CLUTTER CONVERGING ON RWY 26L AND RWY 26R AT DEN LENDS ITSELF TO THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE.

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.