DH8B crew descended too early while flying the elk lake visual approach into runway 9 at cyyj.

Attributes
ACN	626794
Time
Date	200408
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cyyj.airport
State Reference	BC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3100 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cyyj.tracon tower : lgb.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	626794
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During the elk lake visual into victoria we started our descent from 6000 ft to 3000 ft to cross shawnigan lake at 3500 ft. Due to our position over the word, 'elk lake.' on the chart and our approximately altitude of 4000 ft MSL the terrain became confusing. At the angle of the terrain in front of us and the location of shawnigan lake it was 0% viewable, and we mistook the end of the bay for the lake and therefore began our descent through 3500 ft to 3000 ft. The approach controller notified us of our error and we leveled off at approximately 3100 ft until final. Chart has 5 cva (charted visual approachs) and numerous lakes and active water passes. This plate may be in need of a change and or some color. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the air carrier uses the commercial charting company. The analyst printed the charts on a color printer. Terrain is depicted as brown. Water is printed in blue. The reporter said the charts have brown, but do not have blue for the depiction of water. They are in shades of gray. The reporter said the color of water would make the chart much easier to read.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8B CREW DSNDED TOO EARLY WHILE FLYING THE ELK LAKE VISUAL APCH INTO RWY 9 AT CYYJ.

Narrative: DURING THE ELK LAKE VISUAL INTO VICTORIA WE STARTED OUR DSCNT FROM 6000 FT TO 3000 FT TO CROSS SHAWNIGAN LAKE AT 3500 FT. DUE TO OUR POS OVER THE WORD, 'ELK LAKE.' ON THE CHART AND OUR APPROX ALT OF 4000 FT MSL THE TERRAIN BECAME CONFUSING. AT THE ANGLE OF THE TERRAIN IN FRONT OF US AND THE LOCATION OF SHAWNIGAN LAKE IT WAS 0% VIEWABLE, AND WE MISTOOK THE END OF THE BAY FOR THE LAKE AND THEREFORE BEGAN OUR DSCNT THROUGH 3500 FT TO 3000 FT. THE APCH CTLR NOTIFIED US OF OUR ERROR AND WE LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 3100 FT UNTIL FINAL. CHART HAS 5 CVA (CHARTED VISUAL APCHS) AND NUMEROUS LAKES AND ACTIVE WATER PASSES. THIS PLATE MAY BE IN NEED OF A CHANGE AND OR SOME COLOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE ACR USES THE COMMERCIAL CHARTING COMPANY. THE ANALYST PRINTED THE CHARTS ON A COLOR PRINTER. TERRAIN IS DEPICTED AS BROWN. WATER IS PRINTED IN BLUE. THE RPTR SAID THE CHARTS HAVE BROWN, BUT DO NOT HAVE BLUE FOR THE DEPICTION OF WATER. THEY ARE IN SHADES OF GRAY. THE RPTR SAID THE COLOR OF WATER WOULD MAKE THE CHART MUCH EASIER TO READ.

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.