First officer of a B737 started descent before being cleared due habit of starting the descent at that location on numerous previous trips.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	468200
Time
Date	200004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lny.vortac
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15500 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	468200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	468100
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Miss Distance	horizontal : 54000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The first officer was flying from maui to honolulu on a 250 degree heading to join the lny 278 degree radial (julle 4 arrival into hnl). At about 17 DME west of lanai VORTAC, we got an aural TA (our TCASII display on the WX radar was MEL'ed inoperative, but the RA audio and visual on the vsi was working properly). As I was looking outside to spot the traffic, the first officer mistakenly thought (we are normally cleared to descend to 10000 ft around 10-15 mi west of lny VORTAC) we were cleared to descend to 10000 ft and started to descend. When I checked my altimeter, I noticed the descent (lowest altitude was 15500 ft) and told the first officer to climb back up to 16000 ft. As the first officer was quickly climbing back up to 16000 ft, we got an RA to climb. (The opposite traffic was approximately 8 mi at our 3 O'clock position, approximately 500 ft below us, then we received the RA 'clear of conflict.' rest of flight uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO OF A B737 STARTED DSCNT BEFORE BEING CLRED DUE HABIT OF STARTING THE DSCNT AT THAT LOCATION ON NUMEROUS PREVIOUS TRIPS.

Narrative: THE FO WAS FLYING FROM MAUI TO HONOLULU ON A 250 DEG HDG TO JOIN THE LNY 278 DEG RADIAL (JULLE 4 ARR INTO HNL). AT ABOUT 17 DME W OF LANAI VORTAC, WE GOT AN AURAL TA (OUR TCASII DISPLAY ON THE WX RADAR WAS MEL'ED INOP, BUT THE RA AUDIO AND VISUAL ON THE VSI WAS WORKING PROPERLY). AS I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE TO SPOT THE TFC, THE FO MISTAKENLY THOUGHT (WE ARE NORMALLY CLRED TO DSND TO 10000 FT AROUND 10-15 MI W OF LNY VORTAC) WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 10000 FT AND STARTED TO DSND. WHEN I CHKED MY ALTIMETER, I NOTICED THE DSCNT (LOWEST ALT WAS 15500 FT) AND TOLD THE FO TO CLB BACK UP TO 16000 FT. AS THE FO WAS QUICKLY CLBING BACK UP TO 16000 FT, WE GOT AN RA TO CLB. (THE OPPOSITE TFC WAS APPROX 8 MI AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS, APPROX 500 FT BELOW US, THEN WE RECEIVED THE RA 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' REST OF FLT UNEVENTFUL.

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.