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A king air pilot allows his aircraft to descend prematurely out of 2000 ft, 4 mi prior to the FAF for the VOR DME approach to cgx, il.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 456950 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199912 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ord.vor |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : c90.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Super King Air 200 HDC |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 456950 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented 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:
On dec/xa/99, I was being vectored for the VOR/DME a approach at cgx. I had descended to 2000 ft as assigned and adjusted my altitude select to 1200 ft (the MDA is 1180 ft) in anticipation of crossing the FAF, then descending. About 4 mi outside of the FAF, the controller gave me a final vector and cleared me for the approach. At that moment, I noticed that my altitude was about 1500 ft and descending. (A few seconds later the controller asked me to check my altitude.) I climbed back to 2000 ft and resumed the approach without further incident. I assume that my undesired descent was either a result of my failure to set the altitude hold when I arrived at 2000 ft or that I inadvertently disengaged the altitude hold. Clearly more cockpit vigilance would have prevented the problem or at least alerted me to it much sooner.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A KING AIR PLT ALLOWS HIS ACFT TO DSND PREMATURELY OUT OF 2000 FT, 4 MI PRIOR TO THE FAF FOR THE VOR DME APCH TO CGX, IL.
Narrative: ON DEC/XA/99, I WAS BEING VECTORED FOR THE VOR/DME A APCH AT CGX. I HAD DSNDED TO 2000 FT AS ASSIGNED AND ADJUSTED MY ALT SELECT TO 1200 FT (THE MDA IS 1180 FT) IN ANTICIPATION OF XING THE FAF, THEN DSNDING. ABOUT 4 MI OUTSIDE OF THE FAF, THE CTLR GAVE ME A FINAL VECTOR AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH. AT THAT MOMENT, I NOTICED THAT MY ALT WAS ABOUT 1500 FT AND DSNDING. (A FEW SECONDS LATER THE CTLR ASKED ME TO CHK MY ALT.) I CLBED BACK TO 2000 FT AND RESUMED THE APCH WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I ASSUME THAT MY UNDESIRED DSCNT WAS EITHER A RESULT OF MY FAILURE TO SET THE ALT HOLD WHEN I ARRIVED AT 2000 FT OR THAT I INADVERTENTLY DISENGAGED THE ALT HOLD. CLRLY MORE COCKPIT VIGILANCE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE PROB OR AT LEAST ALERTED ME TO IT MUCH SOONER.
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.