A carj crew, on approach to azo, descended below initial minimum altitude.

Attributes
ACN	533574
Time
Date	200112
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : azo.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : azo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 17 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2950 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	533574
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	532591
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on an intercept heading for the localizer back course runway 17 approach in azo. We received approach clearance and were told to maintain 2500 ft until established. Once established, we descended prior to the step-down fix (upjon FAF). We checked in with tower and were told that we were low and should be at 2500 ft. We acknowledged the error, and were cleared to land (without further incident) at azo. The approach has multiple step-downs due to towers in the area at 1429 ft MSL. Supplemental information from acn 532591: descended to 1600 ft outside upjon (2500 ft) on localizer back course runway 17 at azo.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CARJ CREW, ON APCH TO AZO, DSNDED BELOW INITIAL MINIMUM ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN INTERCEPT HDG FOR THE LOC BACK COURSE RWY 17 APCH IN AZO. WE RECEIVED APCH CLRNC AND WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. ONCE ESTABLISHED, WE DSNDED PRIOR TO THE STEP-DOWN FIX (UPJON FAF). WE CHKED IN WITH TWR AND WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE LOW AND SHOULD BE AT 2500 FT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ERROR, AND WERE CLRED TO LAND (WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT) AT AZO. THE APCH HAS MULTIPLE STEP-DOWNS DUE TO TOWERS IN THE AREA AT 1429 FT MSL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 532591: DSNDED TO 1600 FT OUTSIDE UPJON (2500 FT) ON LOC BACK COURSE RWY 17 AT AZO.

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.