A319 crew descended below charted altitude limit at pvd.

Attributes
ACN	469180
Time
Date	200004
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd.airport
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 1140
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd.tracon tower : pvd.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 8900 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	469180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	468899
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flying the VOR DME runway 17 approach into pvd. Crossed rusky at 1800 ft MSL as published on the approach. After rusky we descended directly to 700 ft MSL, unaware of an intermediate leveloff altitude of 1140 ft MSL until 3.7 DME from the VOR. Pvd tower issued us a low altitude alert and told us to verify our altimeter settings of 29.25. The altimeters were correct. It was not until after landing that we realized our mistake. Somehow during the approach briefing we inadvertently omitted discussion of the leveloff altitude inside of rusky. We did not have any egpws alerts. Next time we'll be more careful with our approach briefings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW DSNDED BELOW CHARTED ALT LIMIT AT PVD.

Narrative: FLYING THE VOR DME RWY 17 APCH INTO PVD. CROSSED RUSKY AT 1800 FT MSL AS PUBLISHED ON THE APCH. AFTER RUSKY WE DSNDED DIRECTLY TO 700 FT MSL, UNAWARE OF AN INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF ALT OF 1140 FT MSL UNTIL 3.7 DME FROM THE VOR. PVD TWR ISSUED US A LOW ALT ALERT AND TOLD US TO VERIFY OUR ALTIMETER SETTINGS OF 29.25. THE ALTIMETERS WERE CORRECT. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER LNDG THAT WE REALIZED OUR MISTAKE. SOMEHOW DURING THE APCH BRIEFING WE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED DISCUSSION OF THE LEVELOFF ALT INSIDE OF RUSKY. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY EGPWS ALERTS. NEXT TIME WE'LL BE MORE CAREFUL WITH OUR APCH BRIEFINGS.

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.