<< >> NASA ASRS Report 448370, September 1999

Instrument pilot trainee descended below assigned initial approach altitude resulting in a low altitude ATC warning.

Attributes
ACN	448370
Time
Date	199909
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cma.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2900 msl bound upper : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hhr.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8600 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	448370
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While shooting a VOR approach to camarillo airport as a flight instructor we were told to intercept the final approach course and maintain 4000 ft till established, once on the course the next step down was to 3400 ft. While busy with my student, I failed to notice him going below 3400 ft. By the time I realized it, we were at 2900 ft. I told him to climb back up to 3400 ft. While climbing ATC called a low altitude alert on us and we said we were climbing back up to 3400 ft. After that, the approach went fine. The big thing about the approach is short loss of altitude within 4 mi and when you get busy teaching it is easy to lose sight of the whole picture.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST PLT TRAINEE DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED INITIAL APCH ALT RESULTING IN A LOW ALT ATC WARNING.

Narrative: WHILE SHOOTING A VOR APCH TO CAMARILLO ARPT AS A FLT INSTRUCTOR WE WERE TOLD TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT TILL ESTABLISHED, ONCE ON THE COURSE THE NEXT STEP DOWN WAS TO 3400 FT. WHILE BUSY WITH MY STUDENT, I FAILED TO NOTICE HIM GOING BELOW 3400 FT. BY THE TIME I REALIZED IT, WE WERE AT 2900 FT. I TOLD HIM TO CLB BACK UP TO 3400 FT. WHILE CLBING ATC CALLED A LOW ALT ALERT ON US AND WE SAID WE WERE CLBING BACK UP TO 3400 FT. AFTER THAT, THE APCH WENT FINE. THE BIG THING ABOUT THE APCH IS SHORT LOSS OF ALT WITHIN 4 MI AND WHEN YOU GET BUSY TEACHING IT IS EASY TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE WHOLE PICTURE.

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.