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Flight crew of light transport experience altitude deviation when inexperienced first officer fails to maintain last assigned altitude in expectation of receiving a visual approach. Captain assumes control when descent exceeds 300 ft below cleared altitude; approach controller questions the deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 649451 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200503 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : chs.airport |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : chs.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport High Wing 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| 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 : 140 flight time total : 4805 flight time type : 510 |
| ASRS Report | 649451 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllerb other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Company |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While being vectored for a visual approach to runway 33; we were cleared to descend to 3000 ft. Controller pointed out VFR traffic ahead at 2500 ft. While searching for the traffic; I glanced back inside at the instruments and we were descending through 3000 ft. I told first officer (PF) to level off at 3000 ft. She said 'it's ok; we're going to be cleared for the visual.' I told her our clearance was 3000 ft and to climb back up to it. She leveled off at 2700 ft. I then took the controls and returned to 3000 ft. As I was climbing; ATC told us that our last assigned altitude was 3000 ft. I will not be so trusting in the future. Contributing factor: airlines hiring inexperienced; very low-time pilots. Not sure of total time of this first officer; but this company (air carrier X) hires folks with less than 280 hours!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF LTT EXPERIENCE ALTDEV WHEN INEXPERIENCED FO FAILS TO MAINTAIN LAST ASSIGNED ALT IN EXPECTATION OF RECEIVING A VISUAL APCH. CAPT ASSUMES CTL WHEN DSCNT EXCEEDS 300 FT BELOW CLRED ALT; APCH CTLR QUESTIONS THE DEV.
Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 33; WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT. CTLR POINTED OUT VFR TFC AHEAD AT 2500 FT. WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE TFC; I GLANCED BACK INSIDE AT THE INSTS AND WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 3000 FT. I TOLD FO (PF) TO LEVEL OFF AT 3000 FT. SHE SAID 'IT'S OK; WE'RE GOING TO BE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL.' I TOLD HER OUR CLRNC WAS 3000 FT AND TO CLB BACK UP TO IT. SHE LEVELED OFF AT 2700 FT. I THEN TOOK THE CTLS AND RETURNED TO 3000 FT. AS I WAS CLBING; ATC TOLD US THAT OUR LAST ASSIGNED ALT WAS 3000 FT. I WILL NOT BE SO TRUSTING IN THE FUTURE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: AIRLINES HIRING INEXPERIENCED; VERY LOW-TIME PLTS. NOT SURE OF TOTAL TIME OF THIS FO; BUT THIS COMPANY (ACR X) HIRES FOLKS WITH LESS THAN 280 HRS!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.