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Air carrier MD80 flight crew descended from their assigned altitude before they were cleared for the approach. The controller was waiting for the flight crew to call visual contact with another aircraft before assigning approach clearance. When the GS intercept was indicated the captain falsely assumed that the flight was cleared for the approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 326040 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199601 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| 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 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 326040 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 326039 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance |
| 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 |
Narrative:
Flight was inbound from phx to dfw. On the localizer to runway 13R at 4000 ft and 210 KIAS, we were cleared to intercept the localizer about 15 mi out and the captain armed the localizer for the intercept. The frequency was very congested with radio traffic as we flew inbound to the field. We were told to slow to 190 KIAS, I believe, and at about 9 mi we were told that we were following commuter traffic about 5 mi ahead and did we have traffic in sight? It was hazy out and we were finally able to acquire the traffic but elected to hold off on the call because we were not sure we would be able to maintain visual separation to the field. I tried to verify with the controller that we were cleared for the ILS approach but was not able to get a word in. As the GS came down, the captain said he was going to descend. As he did, I was able to talk to the controller and she replied no we were not cleared to descend and to turn to a 170 degree heading for traffic. We told her we had the traffic in sight and she gave us clearance for the visual approach. We followed the traffic in and landed with no further incident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MD80 FLC DSNDED FROM THEIR ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE THEY WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE CTLR WAS WAITING FOR THE FLC TO CALL VISUAL CONTACT WITH ANOTHER ACFT BEFORE ASSIGNING APCH CLRNC. WHEN THE GS INTERCEPT WAS INDICATED THE CAPT FALSELY ASSUMED THAT THE FLT WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH.
Narrative: FLT WAS INBOUND FROM PHX TO DFW. ON THE LOC TO RWY 13R AT 4000 FT AND 210 KIAS, WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC ABOUT 15 MI OUT AND THE CAPT ARMED THE LOC FOR THE INTERCEPT. THE FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED WITH RADIO TFC AS WE FLEW INBOUND TO THE FIELD. WE WERE TOLD TO SLOW TO 190 KIAS, I BELIEVE, AND AT ABOUT 9 MI WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING COMMUTER TFC ABOUT 5 MI AHEAD AND DID WE HAVE TFC IN SIGHT? IT WAS HAZY OUT AND WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE TFC BUT ELECTED TO HOLD OFF ON THE CALL BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION TO THE FIELD. I TRIED TO VERIFY WITH THE CTLR THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS APCH BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO GET A WORD IN. AS THE GS CAME DOWN, THE CAPT SAID HE WAS GOING TO DSND. AS HE DID, I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THE CTLR AND SHE REPLIED NO WE WERE NOT CLRED TO DSND AND TO TURN TO A 170 DEG HDG FOR TFC. WE TOLD HER WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND SHE GAVE US CLRNC FOR THE VISUAL APCH. WE FOLLOWED THE TFC IN AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.
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.