JS32 flight crew incorrectly assume they have passed pittz intersection on the pit runway 28L final,...

Attributes
ACN	501635
Time
Date	200102
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain other
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 28l other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2450 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	501635
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	502040
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The first officer and I were receiving radar vectors in heavy traffic flow for ILS runway 28L at pit. Upon being given a heading to intercept, we were advised to 'maintain 4000 ft until established, cleared for ILS runway 28L, maintain 170 KTS to pittz.' the first officer read the clearance back. Once established on the approach, believing I crossed pittz, I slowed and we started configuring the airplane for landing. Shortly after, the controller advised us to pick up our speed to 170 KTS. Since we were already partially configured, we were unable to do so. Because of inadequate separation with the aircraft behind us, the approach clearance was canceled and we were given a heading of 180 degrees and an altitude of 3000 ft for resequencing. That was shortly followed by a heading of 090 degrees and a climb to 5000 ft. Once we were on heading and altitude, the controller advised us that we were told to maintain 4000 ft, and to descend to 4000 ft. While descending, he turned us on a heading to intercept the localizer and we were advised to 'maintain 4000 ft until established, cleared for ILS runway 28L, maintain 170 KTS to pittz.' we continued the approach and landed uneventfully. I believe the problem arose when I prematurely slowed the airplane believing we had crossed pittz when in fact we were 3 mi prior. Some contributing factors may have been pilot fatigue, inclement WX with strong winds and a low time first officer. Pertaining to the altitude issue while receiving vectors for resequencing, we both are confident that 5000 ft was what we were instructed to climb to and 5000 ft is the altitude the first officer read back to the controller. Supplemental information from acn 502040: we configured the aircraft on GS as trained rather than at pittz as instructed by ATC. Low ceilings, rain and strong winds played a role as well as pilot acknowledged fatigue and low time first officer fixated on navigation (ie, GS, localizer corrections, as well as altitude callouts).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JS32 FLC INCORRECTLY ASSUME THEY HAVE PASSED PITTZ INTXN ON THE PIT RWY 28L FINAL, AND BEGIN ALT DSCNT AND SPD REDUCTION ONLY TO BE TAKEN OFF THE FINAL APCH COURSE DUE TO OVERTAKING TFC.

Narrative: THE FO AND I WERE RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS IN HVY TFC FLOW FOR ILS RWY 28L AT PIT. UPON BEING GIVEN A HDG TO INTERCEPT, WE WERE ADVISED TO 'MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, CLRED FOR ILS RWY 28L, MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO PITTZ.' THE FO READ THE CLRNC BACK. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH, BELIEVING I CROSSED PITTZ, I SLOWED AND WE STARTED CONFIGURING THE AIRPLANE FOR LNDG. SHORTLY AFTER, THE CTLR ADVISED US TO PICK UP OUR SPD TO 170 KTS. SINCE WE WERE ALREADY PARTIALLY CONFIGURED, WE WERE UNABLE TO DO SO. BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE SEPARATION WITH THE ACFT BEHIND US, THE APCH CLRNC WAS CANCELED AND WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND AN ALT OF 3000 FT FOR RESEQUENCING. THAT WAS SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY A HDG OF 090 DEGS AND A CLB TO 5000 FT. ONCE WE WERE ON HDG AND ALT, THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT, AND TO DSND TO 4000 FT. WHILE DSNDING, HE TURNED US ON A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND WE WERE ADVISED TO 'MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, CLRED FOR ILS RWY 28L, MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO PITTZ.' WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I BELIEVE THE PROB AROSE WHEN I PREMATURELY SLOWED THE AIRPLANE BELIEVING WE HAD CROSSED PITTZ WHEN IN FACT WE WERE 3 MI PRIOR. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MAY HAVE BEEN PLT FATIGUE, INCLEMENT WX WITH STRONG WINDS AND A LOW TIME FO. PERTAINING TO THE ALT ISSUE WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS FOR RESEQUENCING, WE BOTH ARE CONFIDENT THAT 5000 FT WAS WHAT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO AND 5000 FT IS THE ALT THE FO READ BACK TO THE CTLR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 502040: WE CONFIGURED THE ACFT ON GS AS TRAINED RATHER THAN AT PITTZ AS INSTRUCTED BY ATC. LOW CEILINGS, RAIN AND STRONG WINDS PLAYED A ROLE AS WELL AS PLT ACKNOWLEDGED FATIGUE AND LOW TIME FO FIXATED ON NAV (IE, GS, LOC CORRECTIONS, AS WELL AS ALT CALLOUTS).

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.

JS32 flight crew incorrectly assume they have passed pittz intersection on the pit runway 28L final, and begin altitude descent and speed reduction only to be taken off the final approach course due to overtaking traffic.