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A dhc-8 captain confused, 'proceed direct to the runway' with a clearance for the visual approach and began an unauthorized descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 452634 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sbp.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4600 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 452634 |
| 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 : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Inbound to sbp airport, we were told to 'expect visual approach to runway 29, maintain 5000 ft.' ZLA sector 2 was issuing instructions to our flight. We reported airport in sight. Lax advised us we were '#3 for the visual, proceed direct to the runway.' we searched for the GA aircraft we were to follow. No contact made with traffic. Our flight now 7 mi from approach end of landing runway. We requested lower altitude. Lax stated 'proceed direct to the runway.' at this point, PF (reporter) misunderstood this to be clearance for visual approach. First officer did not challenge the descent I initiated toward traffic pattern altitude. Descending 400 ft below assigned altitude, lax queried us as to our altitude. We stated our misunderstanding of visual approach clearance. Lax instructed us to maintain 4000 ft. Remainer of flight uneventful. My workload in a new aircraft contributed to this situation. This was my 5TH trip after IOE completion and first into this airport. Upon landing, I spoke with lax sector 2 controller on the phone. He indicated no conflicts were created and his clearance to maintain 4000 ft resolved any deviation problems. He stated his workload was also very high as 2 towers were talking to him at the same time along with his sequencing duties of us into the airport.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DHC-8 CAPT CONFUSED, 'PROCEED DIRECT TO THE RWY' WITH A CLRNC FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND BEGAN AN UNAUTH DSCNT.
Narrative: INBOUND TO SBP ARPT, WE WERE TOLD TO 'EXPECT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 29, MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' ZLA SECTOR 2 WAS ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO OUR FLT. WE RPTED ARPT IN SIGHT. LAX ADVISED US WE WERE '#3 FOR THE VISUAL, PROCEED DIRECT TO THE RWY.' WE SEARCHED FOR THE GA ACFT WE WERE TO FOLLOW. NO CONTACT MADE WITH TFC. OUR FLT NOW 7 MI FROM APCH END OF LNDG RWY. WE REQUESTED LOWER ALT. LAX STATED 'PROCEED DIRECT TO THE RWY.' AT THIS POINT, PF (RPTR) MISUNDERSTOOD THIS TO BE CLRNC FOR VISUAL APCH. FO DID NOT CHALLENGE THE DSCNT I INITIATED TOWARD TFC PATTERN ALT. DSNDING 400 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT, LAX QUERIED US AS TO OUR ALT. WE STATED OUR MISUNDERSTANDING OF VISUAL APCH CLRNC. LAX INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT. REMAINER OF FLT UNEVENTFUL. MY WORKLOAD IN A NEW ACFT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT. THIS WAS MY 5TH TRIP AFTER IOE COMPLETION AND FIRST INTO THIS ARPT. UPON LNDG, I SPOKE WITH LAX SECTOR 2 CTLR ON THE PHONE. HE INDICATED NO CONFLICTS WERE CREATED AND HIS CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT RESOLVED ANY DEV PROBS. HE STATED HIS WORKLOAD WAS ALSO VERY HIGH AS 2 TWRS WERE TALKING TO HIM AT THE SAME TIME ALONG WITH HIS SEQUENCING DUTIES OF US INTO THE ARPT.
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.