Commuter flight was cleared descended to 10000 ft. Looking for field in marginal conditions. First officer, PF, deviating off course thought could descend. Encountered moderate turbulence and center advised showed them at 9600 ft. Saw field and was cleared for the visual approach.

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Attributes
ACN	359460
Time
Date	199612
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : flg
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9600 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 310 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	359460
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were established on V327 (phx-flg). Conditions of field were MVFR. Cleared to 10000 ft MSL. Were planning on picking up field and getting visual clearance. This was the first officer's leg (PF). First officer deviated slightly west of course -- advised. Saw opening and started slight descent without clearance below 10000 ft MSL. Advised (by me), encountered moderate to severe turbulence and maintained aircraft attitude and control. With mutual power reduction, we descended. ATC advised altitude of 9600 ft MSL. We were maintaining aircraft control and there was also much frequency congestion -- could not communicate with ATC (ZAB). Advised field was in sight, cleared for visual approach, landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT WAS CLRED DSNDED TO 10000 FT. LOOKING FOR FIELD IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS. FO, PF, DEVIATING OFF COURSE THOUGHT COULD DSND. ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURB AND CTR ADVISED SHOWED THEM AT 9600 FT. SAW FIELD AND WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON V327 (PHX-FLG). CONDITIONS OF FIELD WERE MVFR. CLRED TO 10000 FT MSL. WERE PLANNING ON PICKING UP FIELD AND GETTING VISUAL CLRNC. THIS WAS THE FO'S LEG (PF). FO DEVIATED SLIGHTLY W OF COURSE -- ADVISED. SAW OPENING AND STARTED SLIGHT DSCNT WITHOUT CLRNC BELOW 10000 FT MSL. ADVISED (BY ME), ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB AND MAINTAINED ACFT ATTITUDE AND CTL. WITH MUTUAL PWR REDUCTION, WE DSNDED. ATC ADVISED ALT OF 9600 FT MSL. WE WERE MAINTAINING ACFT CTL AND THERE WAS ALSO MUCH FREQ CONGESTION -- COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ATC (ZAB). ADVISED FIELD WAS IN SIGHT, CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH, LANDED.

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.