Reporter's aircraft X left their assigned altitude without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	441722
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : grb.airport
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : grb.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 06
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	441722
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a routine scheduled air carrier passenger flight from mke to grb, I was the first officer and PNF for air carrier X. The captain acted as the PF for the entire flight. While in cruise, the captain was working on his company pay sheets. He declined my offer to take the controls. He continued to do this non essential paperwork throughout the descent and first vector for the approach (ILS 6 at grb). We were told to expect vectors for the ILS 6 and to descend to 2500 ft MSL. This altitude put us very near the base of a scattered layer of clouds. We requested lower to acquire the airport visually. We were told that 2500 ft was the controller's MVA and to remain at 2500 ft. Shortly after, we received this clearance and read it back, 'air carrier X, turn to heading 030 degrees, maintain 2500 ft until established on the localizer, cleared for the ILS runway 5, contact tower 118.7.' I left the altitude alerter set at 2500 ft, pointed at it and verbally confirmed '2500 ft until established.' I then dialed in tower frequency and checked on with them, '030 degree heading to intercept.' then the altitude alert chime went off and I called 'altitude' as we passed through 2200 ft MSL. The captain said we were visual and to disregard (we did, now, have visual contact with the runway). I reminded him that we were not on the localizer yet (full scale needle deflection) and that we were told to maintain 2500 ft until established. The captain insisted that we were on a visual approach. I disagreed with him and said that we had never reported the field in sight or been cleared for a visual approach. He still insisted he was 'visual' and called for the landing final items checklist. I ran the checklist and remained quiet throughout the remainder of approach and landing, which was well below the GS and right out center. A short discussion on the ground still did not convince the captain of his error and the dangers associated with it. I have had continuous problems with this captain's lack of professionalism and CRM. I will be taking this matter up with my company and my union's professional standards committee.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR'S ACFT X LEFT THEIR ASSIGNED ALT WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ON A ROUTINE SCHEDULED ACR PAX FLT FROM MKE TO GRB, I WAS THE FO AND PNF FOR ACR X. THE CAPT ACTED AS THE PF FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. WHILE IN CRUISE, THE CAPT WAS WORKING ON HIS COMPANY PAY SHEETS. HE DECLINED MY OFFER TO TAKE THE CTLS. HE CONTINUED TO DO THIS NON ESSENTIAL PAPERWORK THROUGHOUT THE DSCNT AND FIRST VECTOR FOR THE APCH (ILS 6 AT GRB). WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT VECTORS FOR THE ILS 6 AND TO DSND TO 2500 FT MSL. THIS ALT PUT US VERY NEAR THE BASE OF A SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS. WE REQUESTED LOWER TO ACQUIRE THE ARPT VISUALLY. WE WERE TOLD THAT 2500 FT WAS THE CTLR'S MVA AND TO REMAIN AT 2500 FT. SHORTLY AFTER, WE RECEIVED THIS CLRNC AND READ IT BACK, 'ACR X, TURN TO HDG 030 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC, CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 5, CONTACT TWR 118.7.' I LEFT THE ALT ALERTER SET AT 2500 FT, POINTED AT IT AND VERBALLY CONFIRMED '2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED.' I THEN DIALED IN TWR FREQ AND CHKED ON WITH THEM, '030 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT.' THEN THE ALT ALERT CHIME WENT OFF AND I CALLED 'ALT' AS WE PASSED THROUGH 2200 FT MSL. THE CAPT SAID WE WERE VISUAL AND TO DISREGARD (WE DID, NOW, HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY). I REMINDED HIM THAT WE WERE NOT ON THE LOC YET (FULL SCALE NEEDLE DEFLECTION) AND THAT WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. THE CAPT INSISTED THAT WE WERE ON A VISUAL APCH. I DISAGREED WITH HIM AND SAID THAT WE HAD NEVER RPTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT OR BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. HE STILL INSISTED HE WAS 'VISUAL' AND CALLED FOR THE LNDG FINAL ITEMS CHKLIST. I RAN THE CHKLIST AND REMAINED QUIET THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF APCH AND LNDG, WHICH WAS WELL BELOW THE GS AND R OUT CTR. A SHORT DISCUSSION ON THE GND STILL DID NOT CONVINCE THE CAPT OF HIS ERROR AND THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBS WITH THIS CAPT'S LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND CRM. I WILL BE TAKING THIS MATTER UP WITH MY COMPANY AND MY UNION'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE.

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.