Altitude excursion during a transition for a visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	429120
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4400 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	429120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : altitude alert other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was from clt to ord. We were a B737 on vectors to final for an ILS to runway 4R at ord. The captain was flying and we were given a descent clearance from 7000 ft to 5000 ft. I dialed in 5000 ft in the altitude alerter and we both acknowledged the change with our standard finger point. At about the same time we were given a turn to intercept the localizer and traffic to follow was pointed out by ord approach. We were both looking for the traffic and the runway without much success in the morning sunlight with 5 mi visibility. The altitude alerter sounded as we passed through (descending) 4700 ft, and recovery was initiated at about 4400 ft. We expeditiously returned to 5000 ft, and soon thereafter we were given approach clearance. No mention of the deviation was made and no conflicts (visual or TCASII) were noted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION DURING A TRANSITION FOR A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS FROM CLT TO ORD. WE WERE A B737 ON VECTORS TO FINAL FOR AN ILS TO RWY 4R AT ORD. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC FROM 7000 FT TO 5000 FT. I DIALED IN 5000 FT IN THE ALT ALERTER AND WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THE CHANGE WITH OUR STANDARD FINGER POINT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND TFC TO FOLLOW WAS POINTED OUT BY ORD APCH. WE WERE BOTH LOOKING FOR THE TFC AND THE RWY WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS IN THE MORNING SUNLIGHT WITH 5 MI VISIBILITY. THE ALT ALERTER SOUNDED AS WE PASSED THROUGH (DSNDING) 4700 FT, AND RECOVERY WAS INITIATED AT ABOUT 4400 FT. WE EXPEDITIOUSLY RETURNED TO 5000 FT, AND SOON THEREAFTER WE WERE GIVEN APCH CLRNC. NO MENTION OF THE DEV WAS MADE AND NO CONFLICTS (VISUAL OR TCASII) WERE NOTED.

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.