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A CFI allows his student pilot to descend to traffic pattern altitude when their last assigned altitude from phx tower was 3000 ft MSL.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 437440 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199905 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phx.airport |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : phx.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 437440 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While completing a descending 180 degree turn for a midfield downwind entry to airport, my student pilot assumed that we would descend to pattern altitude (2100 ft MSL) even though our last known restr was 3000 ft. I discovered our deviation at 2500 ft MSL just as tower was calling to ask our intentions. What led to the deviation was my overconfidence in my student's flying skills, as well as my own task saturation with other things in the cockpit. This situation could have been prevented if I had not been completing other tasks in the cockpit. Fatigue as well as time of day (dusk) were also contributing factors for myself. When flying in class B airspace, no matter how often we do in 1 day, alertness and attention to detail must be present.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CFI ALLOWS HIS STUDENT PLT TO DSND TO TFC PATTERN ALT WHEN THEIR LAST ASSIGNED ALT FROM PHX TWR WAS 3000 FT MSL.
Narrative: WHILE COMPLETING A DSNDING 180 DEG TURN FOR A MIDFIELD DOWNWIND ENTRY TO ARPT, MY STUDENT PLT ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD DSND TO PATTERN ALT (2100 FT MSL) EVEN THOUGH OUR LAST KNOWN RESTR WAS 3000 FT. I DISCOVERED OUR DEV AT 2500 FT MSL JUST AS TWR WAS CALLING TO ASK OUR INTENTIONS. WHAT LED TO THE DEV WAS MY OVERCONFIDENCE IN MY STUDENT'S FLYING SKILLS, AS WELL AS MY OWN TASK SATURATION WITH OTHER THINGS IN THE COCKPIT. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF I HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETING OTHER TASKS IN THE COCKPIT. FATIGUE AS WELL AS TIME OF DAY (DUSK) WERE ALSO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR MYSELF. WHEN FLYING IN CLASS B AIRSPACE, NO MATTER HOW OFTEN WE DO IN 1 DAY, ALERTNESS AND ATTN TO DETAIL MUST BE PRESENT.
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.