<< >> NASA ASRS Report 517540, July 2001

An EMB145 captain, on approach to lnk, took the controls from the first officer, who mistakenly thought they had been cleared for the visuals, and climbed back to the assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	517540
Time
Date	200107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lnk.airport
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3750 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pbi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 201 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1046
ASRS Report	517540
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While descending into lnk, northeast, from the east we were given an altitude assignment of 8000 ft by lnk approach. After achieving 8000 ft lnk reclred us to 4000 ft. About 6 NM out we called runway 17R in sight to the approach controller. Then he (approach controller) gave us instructions to enter left base runway 17R. As the captain and PNF I was making standard altitude calls and running checklist. My first officer was under the assumption we were cleared for a visual approach and descended below 4000 ft MSL, to 3750 ft MSL. I then took immediate control and corrected his misinterp and climbed back up to 4000 ft MSL. No separation between traffic or terrain was lost. Contributing factors were that ATC issued a vague clearance and the first officer's CRM skills were poor (ie, he took the aircraft off autoplt and cancelled the altitude alerter without telling me).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 CAPT, ON APCH TO LNK, TOOK THE CTLS FROM THE FO, WHO MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THEY HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE VISUALS, AND CLBED BACK TO THE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING INTO LNK, NE, FROM THE E WE WERE GIVEN AN ALT ASSIGNMENT OF 8000 FT BY LNK APCH. AFTER ACHIEVING 8000 FT LNK RECLRED US TO 4000 FT. ABOUT 6 NM OUT WE CALLED RWY 17R IN SIGHT TO THE APCH CTLR. THEN HE (APCH CTLR) GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER L BASE RWY 17R. AS THE CAPT AND PNF I WAS MAKING STANDARD ALT CALLS AND RUNNING CHKLIST. MY FO WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND DSNDED BELOW 4000 FT MSL, TO 3750 FT MSL. I THEN TOOK IMMEDIATE CTL AND CORRECTED HIS MISINTERP AND CLBED BACK UP TO 4000 FT MSL. NO SEPARATION BTWN TFC OR TERRAIN WAS LOST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THAT ATC ISSUED A VAGUE CLRNC AND THE FO'S CRM SKILLS WERE POOR (IE, HE TOOK THE ACFT OFF AUTOPLT AND CANCELLED THE ALT ALERTER WITHOUT TELLING ME).

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.