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A P3 military PIC descends too soon on the mullan pass transition, thinking he had clearance for the descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 430280 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199903 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : mlp.vor |
| State Reference | MT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse.artcc tracon : geg.tracon |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Orion (P3) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : military pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 430280 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on a vector/direct when able to mlp, ZSE (126.1) cleared us for the 'mullan pass transition to the mso ILS runway 11 approach,' then passed us to spokane approach control (124.9). What I thought I heard/understood was 'cleared for descent via mullan pass transition to mso ILS runway 11.' so I began a descent from 13000 ft MSL to 9600 ft MSL as per transition. Upon checking in with spokane approach control, I was passing 11500 ft MSL and we were told 'we had not been cleared for descent, climb to and maintain 12000 ft.' the rest of the approach and flight were uneventful. Possible contributing factors: fatigue -- this was a military reserve event flown late in the day, where I had already been up for over 13 hours having started my day completing a 4 day reduced rest trip with my commercial airline with a 3-4 hour break between finishing my civilian flying then going to do reserve flying. Combine the above fatigue with marginal arrival WX at mso, and my desire to get established on mso ILS runway 11 parameters and I probably heard a clearance that I was anticipating but not yet directed. I probably misperceived correct descent clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A P3 MIL PIC DSNDS TOO SOON ON THE MULLAN PASS TRANSITION, THINKING HE HAD CLRNC FOR THE DSCNT.
Narrative: WHILE ON A VECTOR/DIRECT WHEN ABLE TO MLP, ZSE (126.1) CLRED US FOR THE 'MULLAN PASS TRANSITION TO THE MSO ILS RWY 11 APCH,' THEN PASSED US TO SPOKANE APCH CTL (124.9). WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD/UNDERSTOOD WAS 'CLRED FOR DSCNT VIA MULLAN PASS TRANSITION TO MSO ILS RWY 11.' SO I BEGAN A DSCNT FROM 13000 FT MSL TO 9600 FT MSL AS PER TRANSITION. UPON CHKING IN WITH SPOKANE APCH CTL, I WAS PASSING 11500 FT MSL AND WE WERE TOLD 'WE HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR DSCNT, CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT.' THE REST OF THE APCH AND FLT WERE UNEVENTFUL. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FATIGUE -- THIS WAS A MIL RESERVE EVENT FLOWN LATE IN THE DAY, WHERE I HAD ALREADY BEEN UP FOR OVER 13 HRS HAVING STARTED MY DAY COMPLETING A 4 DAY REDUCED REST TRIP WITH MY COMMERCIAL AIRLINE WITH A 3-4 HR BREAK BTWN FINISHING MY CIVILIAN FLYING THEN GOING TO DO RESERVE FLYING. COMBINE THE ABOVE FATIGUE WITH MARGINAL ARR WX AT MSO, AND MY DESIRE TO GET ESTABLISHED ON MSO ILS RWY 11 PARAMETERS AND I PROBABLY HEARD A CLRNC THAT I WAS ANTICIPATING BUT NOT YET DIRECTED. I PROBABLY MISPERCEIVED CORRECT DSCNT CLRNC.
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.