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Small transport descends below assigned altitude causing less than standard separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 92268 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198808 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : stl |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : stl tower : tpa |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 92268 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Inbound on the localizer in VFR conditions, assigned 3500' altitude until seeing traffic for the parallel runway. ATC asked several times if I had the traffic in sight. It was obvious that he wanted to clear me for a visual but could not until I saw the traffic. The last traffic report was one O'clock, 1 mi. I never saw him. At this point the controller turned me off a 1 1/2 to 2 mi final and advised I should be holding 3500'. Sure enough I had let my altitude slip to 2500. ATC brought me around to re-enter and I landed with no problem. I attribute this situation to 2 mind-sets. The controller thinking that I would see traffic at any moment and could be cleared for a visual. My mind was set on landing the aircraft after I sighted the runway, and I was preoccupied by reconfign the aircraft for landing and looking for traffic all at the same time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT DESCENDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT CAUSING LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.
Narrative: INBND ON THE LOC IN VFR CONDITIONS, ASSIGNED 3500' ALT UNTIL SEEING TFC FOR THE PARALLEL RWY. ATC ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE WANTED TO CLR ME FOR A VISUAL BUT COULD NOT UNTIL I SAW THE TFC. THE LAST TFC RPT WAS ONE O'CLOCK, 1 MI. I NEVER SAW HIM. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR TURNED ME OFF A 1 1/2 TO 2 MI FINAL AND ADVISED I SHOULD BE HOLDING 3500'. SURE ENOUGH I HAD LET MY ALT SLIP TO 2500. ATC BROUGHT ME AROUND TO RE-ENTER AND I LANDED WITH NO PROB. I ATTRIBUTE THIS SITUATION TO 2 MIND-SETS. THE CTLR THINKING THAT I WOULD SEE TFC AT ANY MOMENT AND COULD BE CLRED FOR A VISUAL. MY MIND WAS SET ON LNDG THE ACFT AFTER I SIGHTED THE RWY, AND I WAS PREOCCUPIED BY RECONFIGN THE ACFT FOR LNDG AND LOOKING FOR TFC ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.