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Flight crew of B733 utilized wrong DME to determine stepdown fixes when cleared for runway 21L ILS to dtw. Descended from cleared altitude prematurely as a result.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 595957 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200310 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : dxo.vor |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | other |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : d21.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 21l |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 159 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 473 |
| ASRS Report | 595953 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 595953 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : issued advisory flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : became reoriented |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Chart Or Publication Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Airport |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
First officer's leg to dtw. Uneventful flight with following exceptions: 1) multiple non-standard speed assignments en route for flow into dtw resulted in less than 5000 pounds of fuel at dtw (landed with 4200 pounds). 2) given extended vectors for runway 21L. 3) runway 21L has ILS without DME capability. DME for approach is provided by off-airport NAVAID (carleton, approximately 12 NM from dtw). 4) clearance was: 'maintain 5000 ft to robbi, heading approximately 240 degrees, intercept the localizer, cleared ILS approach to runway 21L' (as near as I can remember). Focus and concern over fuel status had us using dxo to provide 'to the field' distances for descent planning and that, coupled with high traffic volume led to the altitude deviation. The first officer (me) switched to the ILS and the captain remained on dxo versus changing to crl. Captain made altitude calls based on dxo versus crl. Lowest altitude was approximately 3800 ft MSL (approximately 1200 ft low). At that point we recognized our mistake and climbed to 4000 ft. At 3800 ft, we were on glide patch, but not yet at robbi. Controller queried our altitude, we fessed up. Remainder of approach and landing uneventful. Controller did not make confrontational comments or indicate he was or would take any action. I think this as soon as possible report is precautionary. This could happen to anyone. Terps specialists should consider basing approachs to dtw off of dxo DME or dtw should install ILS/DME equipment for runway 21L.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF B733 UTILIZED WRONG DME TO DETERMINE STEPDOWN FIXES WHEN CLRED FOR RWY 21L ILS TO DTW. DSNDED FROM CLRED ALT PREMATURELY AS A RESULT.
Narrative: FO'S LEG TO DTW. UNEVENTFUL FLT WITH FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS: 1) MULTIPLE NON-STANDARD SPD ASSIGNMENTS ENRTE FOR FLOW INTO DTW RESULTED IN LESS THAN 5000 LBS OF FUEL AT DTW (LANDED WITH 4200 LBS). 2) GIVEN EXTENDED VECTORS FOR RWY 21L. 3) RWY 21L HAS ILS WITHOUT DME CAPABILITY. DME FOR APCH IS PROVIDED BY OFF-ARPT NAVAID (CARLETON, APPROX 12 NM FROM DTW). 4) CLRNC WAS: 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT TO ROBBI, HEADING APPROX 240 DEGS, INTERCEPT THE LOC, CLRED ILS APCH TO RWY 21L' (AS NEAR AS I CAN REMEMBER). FOCUS AND CONCERN OVER FUEL STATUS HAD US USING DXO TO PROVIDE 'TO THE FIELD' DISTANCES FOR DSCNT PLANNING AND THAT, COUPLED WITH HIGH TFC VOLUME LED TO THE ALTDEV. THE FO (ME) SWITCHED TO THE ILS AND THE CAPT REMAINED ON DXO VERSUS CHANGING TO CRL. CAPT MADE ALT CALLS BASED ON DXO VERSUS CRL. LOWEST ALT WAS APPROX 3800 FT MSL (APPROX 1200 FT LOW). AT THAT POINT WE RECOGNIZED OUR MISTAKE AND CLBED TO 4000 FT. AT 3800 FT, WE WERE ON GLIDE PATCH, BUT NOT YET AT ROBBI. CTLR QUERIED OUR ALT, WE FESSED UP. REMAINDER OF APCH AND LNDG UNEVENTFUL. CTLR DID NOT MAKE CONFRONTATIONAL COMMENTS OR INDICATE HE WAS OR WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION. I THINK THIS ASAP RPT IS PRECAUTIONARY. THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE. TERPS SPECIALISTS SHOULD CONSIDER BASING APCHS TO DTW OFF OF DXO DME OR DTW SHOULD INSTALL ILS/DME EQUIP FOR RWY 21L.
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.