<< >> NASA ASRS Report 444680, July 1999

Planning a VFR approach from an IFR flight plan, a cessna pilot leaves assigned altitude before being released for the visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	444680
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sba.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	444680
Person 2
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on an IFR flight plan doing the visual approach for runway 25 into sba in VFR conditions, in a C180A, I was told to maintain 3000 ft. I was then cleared for the left downwind to runway 25 and descended to 2500 ft. When asked my altitude, I was told to go back to 3000 ft. Prior to these instructions, when I was at 4000 ft on the crosswind entry, I was asked if able to do the entry from that altitude. I declined and at that point was cleared to 3000 ft out over the water. The confusion arose when cleared for left downwind. I began my descent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLANNING A VFR APCH FROM AN IFR FLT PLAN, A CESSNA PLT LEAVES ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE BEING RELEASED FOR THE VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN DOING THE VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 25 INTO SBA IN VFR CONDITIONS, IN A C180A, I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT. I WAS THEN CLRED FOR THE L DOWNWIND TO RWY 25 AND DSNDED TO 2500 FT. WHEN ASKED MY ALT, I WAS TOLD TO GO BACK TO 3000 FT. PRIOR TO THESE INSTRUCTIONS, WHEN I WAS AT 4000 FT ON THE XWIND ENTRY, I WAS ASKED IF ABLE TO DO THE ENTRY FROM THAT ALT. I DECLINED AND AT THAT POINT WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT OUT OVER THE WATER. THE CONFUSION AROSE WHEN CLRED FOR L DOWNWIND. I BEGAN MY DSCNT.

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.