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A B737-300 first officer, the PF, thought he heard that he was cleared for the visual for runway 22 at elp and began his descent early.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 463660 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200002 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : elp.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 9000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : elp.tracon tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : charted visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 6050 flight time type : 920 |
| ASRS Report | 463660 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On approach to elp from the west at 11000 ft approximately 22 NM from the field on a 090 degree heading, we were cleared to 9000 ft and 'expect a visual to runway 22.' I was the first officer, and was the PF, and thought we were cleared for the visual approach. I descended through 9000 ft. We were descending through 8700 ft or 8600 ft when approach called and said 'cleared for the visual to runway 22,' and I realized that the previous clearance was 'expect' and not 'cleared.' a few seconds later, approach asked us our altitude. I do not believe there was a conflict with any other traffic, as we had no TCASII alerts. I attribute my deviation to a communications misunderstanding, coupled with my knowledge of being cleared high for the visual at elp due to the mountains to the west, and the need to descend without delay following the clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-300 FO, THE PF, THOUGHT HE HEARD THAT HE WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL FOR RWY 22 AT ELP AND BEGAN HIS DSCNT EARLY.
Narrative: ON APCH TO ELP FROM THE W AT 11000 FT APPROX 22 NM FROM THE FIELD ON A 090 DEG HDG, WE WERE CLRED TO 9000 FT AND 'EXPECT A VISUAL TO RWY 22.' I WAS THE FO, AND WAS THE PF, AND THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I DSNDED THROUGH 9000 FT. WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 8700 FT OR 8600 FT WHEN APCH CALLED AND SAID 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 22,' AND I REALIZED THAT THE PREVIOUS CLRNC WAS 'EXPECT' AND NOT 'CLRED.' A FEW SECONDS LATER, APCH ASKED US OUR ALT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER TFC, AS WE HAD NO TCASII ALERTS. I ATTRIBUTE MY DEV TO A COMS MISUNDERSTANDING, COUPLED WITH MY KNOWLEDGE OF BEING CLRED HIGH FOR THE VISUAL AT ELP DUE TO THE MOUNTAINS TO THE W, AND THE NEED TO DSND WITHOUT DELAY FOLLOWING THE CLRNC.
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.