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B733 flight crew are challenged by I90 controller when they undershoot mandatory step-down fix altitudes.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 516672 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iah.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : i90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer only : 08 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 516672 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were vectored to ILS final runway 8 at iah. On final at assigned altitude of 3000 ft, approaching jelli intersection, we were cleared for the approach. I selected 'approach' for an automatic-capture on the B737-300 MCP. We captured the GS and then another controller's voice said 'descend to 2000 ft!' I asked him to confirm that we were cleared for the approach. The original controller said that there's a mandatory 2000 ft step-down to eelpo. We had been dodging multiple thunderstorms coming in from the north. We had already briefed ILS runway 26 per the ATIS. Then close in, they had a wind shift and switched to runway 8. We did a quick brief and assumed the step-down was for a localizer runway 8 approach. To date, I have never seen a STAR type step-down built into an ILS approach. If there are others, I (and all other pilots) would like to know where they are, so we can use our highlighters on the word 'mandatory!' P.south. Check out ILS runway 27. You can't intercept GS until 1500 ft!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B733 FLC ARE CHALLENGED BY I90 CTLR WHEN THEY UNDERSHOOT MANDATORY STEP-DOWN FIX ALTS.
Narrative: WE WERE VECTORED TO ILS FINAL RWY 8 AT IAH. ON FINAL AT ASSIGNED ALT OF 3000 FT, APCHING JELLI INTXN, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. I SELECTED 'APCH' FOR AN AUTO-CAPTURE ON THE B737-300 MCP. WE CAPTURED THE GS AND THEN ANOTHER CTLR'S VOICE SAID 'DSND TO 2000 FT!' I ASKED HIM TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE ORIGINAL CTLR SAID THAT THERE'S A MANDATORY 2000 FT STEP-DOWN TO EELPO. WE HAD BEEN DODGING MULTIPLE TSTMS COMING IN FROM THE N. WE HAD ALREADY BRIEFED ILS RWY 26 PER THE ATIS. THEN CLOSE IN, THEY HAD A WIND SHIFT AND SWITCHED TO RWY 8. WE DID A QUICK BRIEF AND ASSUMED THE STEP-DOWN WAS FOR A LOC RWY 8 APCH. TO DATE, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A STAR TYPE STEP-DOWN BUILT INTO AN ILS APCH. IF THERE ARE OTHERS, I (AND ALL OTHER PLTS) WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, SO WE CAN USE OUR HIGHLIGHTERS ON THE WORD 'MANDATORY!' P.S. CHK OUT ILS RWY 27. YOU CAN'T INTERCEPT GS UNTIL 1500 FT!
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.