An air carrier light transport flight crew switched to VFR squawk after being cleared for a visual approach to dbq without clearance. The captain did not know what the first officer was doing.

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Attributes
ACN	343800
Time
Date	199608
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dbq
State Reference	IA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : dbq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	343800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On visual approach to dbq airport, ZAU asked us if we had dbq airport in sight. The first officer responded 'affirmative.' then center said, 'cleared for the visual approach, radar service terminated, contact dbq tower on frequency XXXX.' the first officer responded 'roger' and switched frequency. Shortly after establishing contact with dbq tower, ATC said, 'ZAU is looking for you, they are wondering why you are squawking 1200.' it turned out that the first officer had misunderstood the communication with center and thought that he was supposed to squawk 1200 since we were cleared for the visual approach. He did not inform me nor did I know what he had done. 3 things went wrong: 1) the first officer did not know correct procedures for squawking VFR. 2) poor CRM, since I was not notified about what he was doing. 3) ATC lost radar identify with us. The first officer is now aware and has been briefed accordingly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT FLC SWITCHED TO VFR SQUAWK AFTER BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO DBQ WITHOUT CLRNC. THE CAPT DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE FO WAS DOING.

Narrative: ON VISUAL APCH TO DBQ ARPT, ZAU ASKED US IF WE HAD DBQ ARPT IN SIGHT. THE FO RESPONDED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' THEN CTR SAID, 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH, RADAR SVC TERMINATED, CONTACT DBQ TWR ON FREQ XXXX.' THE FO RESPONDED 'ROGER' AND SWITCHED FREQ. SHORTLY AFTER ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH DBQ TWR, ATC SAID, 'ZAU IS LOOKING FOR YOU, THEY ARE WONDERING WHY YOU ARE SQUAWKING 1200.' IT TURNED OUT THAT THE FO HAD MISUNDERSTOOD THE COM WITH CTR AND THOUGHT THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SQUAWK 1200 SINCE WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. HE DID NOT INFORM ME NOR DID I KNOW WHAT HE HAD DONE. 3 THINGS WENT WRONG: 1) THE FO DID NOT KNOW CORRECT PROCS FOR SQUAWKING VFR. 2) POOR CRM, SINCE I WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING. 3) ATC LOST RADAR IDENT WITH US. THE FO IS NOW AWARE AND HAS BEEN BRIEFED ACCORDINGLY.

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.