Narrative:

We were flying an extended right downwind for the ILS runway 22 at rochester. We were assigned 2500 ft and were flying at 2500 ft. We were told to slow to final approach speed (we were flying at approximately 230 KTS). The captain asked for 'gear down,' so I extended the landing gear 10 mi out. We were subsequently given a right base vector. We were slowing rapidly and I called out 'clear to 198 degrees,' and we extended the flaps to flaps 2 degrees right at 200 KTS. Immediately after we were given a further vector to the right and told to maintain 2500 ft until established, intercept the localizer, and cleared for the ILS runway 22 approach. I moved my heading bug to our vectored intercept heading then looked outside for traffic and for the runway. A few seconds later, I heard the stick shaker go off. I quickly turned my eyes back into the cockpit and saw my captain reaching for the throttles so I extended the flaps to flaps 15 degrees (realizing he got too slow). The stick shaker quickly stopped and I looked at my instruments. The altimeter read 2100 ft. I announced 'altitude, altitude.' at the same time ATC notified us of our error and told us to maintain 2500 ft. We climbed back up to 2500 ft, intercepted the localizer and GS, and completed the approach without further incident. I believe extending the gear 10 mi out was unnecessary, that the captain's situational awareness was poor, and that he was not 'flying' the airplane. Basically, the captain made an error and maybe I should have been more alert to his airspeed management (same for the flight engineer).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-100 CREW HAD ALTDEV IN ROC CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING AN EXTENDED R DOWNWIND FOR THE ILS RWY 22 AT ROCHESTER. WE WERE ASSIGNED 2500 FT AND WERE FLYING AT 2500 FT. WE WERE TOLD TO SLOW TO FINAL APCH SPD (WE WERE FLYING AT APPROX 230 KTS). THE CAPT ASKED FOR 'GEAR DOWN,' SO I EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR 10 MI OUT. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN A R BASE VECTOR. WE WERE SLOWING RAPIDLY AND I CALLED OUT 'CLR TO 198 DEGS,' AND WE EXTENDED THE FLAPS TO FLAPS 2 DEGS RIGHT AT 200 KTS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE WERE GIVEN A FURTHER VECTOR TO THE R AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, INTERCEPT THE LOC, AND CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 22 APCH. I MOVED MY HDG BUG TO OUR VECTORED INTERCEPT HDG THEN LOOKED OUTSIDE FOR TFC AND FOR THE RWY. A FEW SECONDS LATER, I HEARD THE STICK SHAKER GO OFF. I QUICKLY TURNED MY EYES BACK INTO THE COCKPIT AND SAW MY CAPT REACHING FOR THE THROTTLES SO I EXTENDED THE FLAPS TO FLAPS 15 DEGS (REALIZING HE GOT TOO SLOW). THE STICK SHAKER QUICKLY STOPPED AND I LOOKED AT MY INSTS. THE ALTIMETER READ 2100 FT. I ANNOUNCED 'ALT, ALT.' AT THE SAME TIME ATC NOTIFIED US OF OUR ERROR AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT. WE CLBED BACK UP TO 2500 FT, INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND GS, AND COMPLETED THE APCH WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE EXTENDING THE GEAR 10 MI OUT WAS UNNECESSARY, THAT THE CAPT'S SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS POOR, AND THAT HE WAS NOT 'FLYING' THE AIRPLANE. BASICALLY, THE CAPT MADE AN ERROR AND MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ALERT TO HIS AIRSPD MGMNT (SAME FOR THE FE).

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.