Descent below the floor of the class B airspace at slc, ut, in violation of far 91 pt 131(a)(2).

Attributes
ACN	489645
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6100 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s56.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 16r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 115 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2446
ASRS Report	489645
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : exit non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory 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:

It was the first officer's leg from hln to slc. We were established on the localizer at 8000 ft. When approach control cleared the flight for a visual approach to runway 16R, I looked down at my manual and did not realize we had begun a descent from 8000 ft. The first officer believed that since he had been cleared the visual that he could descend to the GS intercept altitude. He was unaware of the floor of the class B airspace. We exited the class B airspace at 7500 ft. I realized we were descending and questioned the first officer. I then looked at the chart page to confirm the floor of the class B airspace. We had already descended below the floor. Approach control advised us of our error. We continued the approach and landed uneventfully. Contributing factors: communications -- 1) the captain should have ensured the first officer was familiar with the class B airspace. 2) first officer should have stated his intention to leave 8000 ft prior to intercepting GS. Captain and first officer debriefed the above events.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSCNT BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AT SLC, UT, IN VIOLATION OF FAR 91 PT 131(A)(2).

Narrative: IT WAS THE FO'S LEG FROM HLN TO SLC. WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AT 8000 FT. WHEN APCH CTL CLRED THE FLT FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 16R, I LOOKED DOWN AT MY MANUAL AND DID NOT REALIZE WE HAD BEGUN A DSCNT FROM 8000 FT. THE FO BELIEVED THAT SINCE HE HAD BEEN CLRED THE VISUAL THAT HE COULD DSND TO THE GS INTERCEPT ALT. HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WE EXITED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 7500 FT. I REALIZED WE WERE DSNDING AND QUESTIONED THE FO. I THEN LOOKED AT THE CHART PAGE TO CONFIRM THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. WE HAD ALREADY DSNDED BELOW THE FLOOR. APCH CTL ADVISED US OF OUR ERROR. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: COMS -- 1) THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE ENSURED THE FO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. 2) FO SHOULD HAVE STATED HIS INTENTION TO LEAVE 8000 FT PRIOR TO INTERCEPTING GS. CAPT AND FO DEBRIEFED THE ABOVE EVENTS.

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.