Medium large transport air carrier started descent at wrong altitude having misread approach plate w...

Attributes
ACN	439316
Time
Date	199906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mmv.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 28r
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	439316
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

As we were cleared for the ILS to runway 28R, the first officer (PNF) put 1900 ft in the MCP window. We started down and at approximately 2200 ft I noticed that the ILS GS intercept altitude was 3000 ft. The first officer put in the localizer stepdown altitude. We leveled off at 2200 ft and intercepted the GS. This particular approach plate is tough to read. The localizer altitudes are in bold faced print and they look a lot like the GS intercept altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACR STARTED DSCNT AT WRONG ALT HAVING MISREAD APCH PLATE WRONG AT PDX.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS TO RWY 28R, THE FO (PNF) PUT 1900 FT IN THE MCP WINDOW. WE STARTED DOWN AND AT APPROX 2200 FT I NOTICED THAT THE ILS GS INTERCEPT ALT WAS 3000 FT. THE FO PUT IN THE LOC STEPDOWN ALT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 2200 FT AND INTERCEPTED THE GS. THIS PARTICULAR APCH PLATE IS TOUGH TO READ. THE LOC ALTS ARE IN BOLD FACED PRINT AND THEY LOOK A LOT LIKE THE GS INTERCEPT ALT.

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.

Medium large transport air carrier started descent at wrong altitude having misread approach plate wrong at pdx.