DC9-50 flight crew descends below assigned altitude on approach.

Attributes
ACN	327430
Time
Date	199602
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9250 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	327430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Radar vectors to downwind for a visual approach. We called 'field in sight' but controller continued to vector us and cleared us from 5000 ft to 4000 ft. I was looking outside trying to keep the field in sight. Captain descended through 4000 ft to between 3000-3500 ft. Apparently he was also looking outside and flying visually. Continued visual approach and landed uneventfully. Controller never mentioned it. Last leg of trip, XA00 friday night, home airport. We were both anxious to get home, and relaxed/complacent due to familiar field and good WX. Perhaps there was also some confusion on captain's part as to whether we were cleared for visual or still being vectored.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-50 FLC DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT ON APCH.

Narrative: RADAR VECTORS TO DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL APCH. WE CALLED 'FIELD IN SIGHT' BUT CTLR CONTINUED TO VECTOR US AND CLRED US FROM 5000 FT TO 4000 FT. I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE TRYING TO KEEP THE FIELD IN SIGHT. CAPT DSNDED THROUGH 4000 FT TO BTWN 3000-3500 FT. APPARENTLY HE WAS ALSO LOOKING OUTSIDE AND FLYING VISUALLY. CONTINUED VISUAL APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CTLR NEVER MENTIONED IT. LAST LEG OF TRIP, XA00 FRIDAY NIGHT, HOME ARPT. WE WERE BOTH ANXIOUS TO GET HOME, AND RELAXED/COMPLACENT DUE TO FAMILIAR FIELD AND GOOD WX. PERHAPS THERE WAS ALSO SOME CONFUSION ON CAPT'S PART AS TO WHETHER WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL OR STILL BEING VECTORED.

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.