While operating on an IFR flight plan in VMC, a captain who was completing IOE inadvertently visuall...

Attributes
ACN	334477
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 3750 flight time type : 12
ASRS Report	334477
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	334475
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan into seattle, 25 mi out, the controller asked if I had a visual landmark in sight near the airport. I acknowledged that I had the landmark and the controller advised me to proceed direct to the landmark. This was the first IFR flight on this route during IOE after 2 days of VFR flts into this airport. The visual approach utilizes the same landmark and company procedure is to begin a descent to 2000 ft about 10 mi out. For some reason I thought I was on the visual arrival and began a descent from 3000 ft. At 2400 ft the check airman reminded me that we were on an IFR clearance, not a visual arrival. I immediately climbed back to 3000 ft. I believe this happened for several reasons. I have not flown or operated in the IFR environment during my last 3000 hours of part 135 flying. We had been doing the same route VFR, utilizing the visual arrival on all previous trips. The WX was VMC. The controller told me to proceed visually to the same landmark used for the visual arrival, causing me to mentally believe we were cleared for the visual arrival, which we were not. Contributing with the fact that I was flying just after an episode with the flu, which grounded me for 2 days, and still had a head cold at the time of this incident, which may have diminished my ability to mentally stay on top of the flight. Supplemental information from acn 334475: incident would have been avoided had pilot advised ATC he was leaving altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE OPERATING ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN VMC, A CAPT WHO WAS COMPLETING IOE INADVERTENTLY VISUALLY DSNDED WITHOUT A CLRNC FOR A LOWER ALT. THE RPTR STATES THAT HE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO OPERATING ON A VFR FLT PLAN AND FOLLOWING THE COMPANY PROCEDURAL VISUAL DSCNT AT THIS POINT.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN INTO SEATTLE, 25 MI OUT, THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD A VISUAL LANDMARK IN SIGHT NEAR THE ARPT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I HAD THE LANDMARK AND THE CTLR ADVISED ME TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE LANDMARK. THIS WAS THE FIRST IFR FLT ON THIS RTE DURING IOE AFTER 2 DAYS OF VFR FLTS INTO THIS ARPT. THE VISUAL APCH UTILIZES THE SAME LANDMARK AND COMPANY PROC IS TO BEGIN A DSCNT TO 2000 FT ABOUT 10 MI OUT. FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT I WAS ON THE VISUAL ARR AND BEGAN A DSCNT FROM 3000 FT. AT 2400 FT THE CHK AIRMAN REMINDED ME THAT WE WERE ON AN IFR CLRNC, NOT A VISUAL ARR. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 3000 FT. I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL REASONS. I HAVE NOT FLOWN OR OPERATED IN THE IFR ENVIRONMENT DURING MY LAST 3000 HRS OF PART 135 FLYING. WE HAD BEEN DOING THE SAME RTE VFR, UTILIZING THE VISUAL ARR ON ALL PREVIOUS TRIPS. THE WX WAS VMC. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO PROCEED VISUALLY TO THE SAME LANDMARK USED FOR THE VISUAL ARR, CAUSING ME TO MENTALLY BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL ARR, WHICH WE WERE NOT. CONTRIBUTING WITH THE FACT THAT I WAS FLYING JUST AFTER AN EPISODE WITH THE FLU, WHICH GROUNDED ME FOR 2 DAYS, AND STILL HAD A HEAD COLD AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, WHICH MAY HAVE DIMINISHED MY ABILITY TO MENTALLY STAY ON TOP OF THE FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 334475: INCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD PLT ADVISED ATC HE WAS LEAVING ALT.

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.

While operating on an IFR flight plan in VMC, a captain who was completing IOE inadvertently visually descended without a clearance for a lower altitude. The reporter states that he was accustomed to operating on a VFR flight plan and following the company procedural visual descent at this point.