LJ35 DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHEN PIC MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC. PNF WAS ENGAGED IN ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES AT THE TIME.

Date: 2003-04 · Aircraft: Learjet 35

Anomalies: deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far

Synopsis

LJ35 DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHEN PIC MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC. PNF WAS ENGAGED IN ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES AT THE TIME.

Narrative

WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH TO UGN; WE WERE ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 4000 FT. AS WE NEARED THE LAKESHORE MY COPLT WAS CONTACTING UNICOM AT UGN. I WAS MONITORING THE APCH FREQ; WHICH WAS VERY BUSY WITH OTHER ARPT. I BELIEVE WE WERE ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AS WE OVERFLEW KENOSHA ARPT; WE CALLED AND SAID WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I APPARENTLY MISUNDERSTOOD. 'EXPRESS THE VISUAL TO RWY 5.' AS A CLRNC FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I BEGAN A DSCNT OUT OF 4000-3500 FT. THEN THE COPLT ASKED IF WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND. WE HAD SWITCHED FREQ TO UGN TWR; WHICH AGAIN; I THOUGHT WAS A CLRNC FOR THE VISIBILITY TO RWY 5. AT THIS TIME; THE PNF WAS LOOKING FOR AN APCH PLATE FOR THE ARPT. THE UGN TWR INSTRUCTED US TO RETURN TO APCH FREQ APCH; THEN TOLD US WE DSNDED WITHOUT CLRNC. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 4000 FT. APCH THEN HANDED US OFF TO UGN TWR; CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL; AND INSTRUCTED US TO REMAIN N OF THE ARPT. WE WERE ABOVE THE ARPT AT THIS TIME. WHEN WE DID MAKE THE VISUAL TO RWY 5; IT WAS AFTER FLYING A R 270 DEG TURN TO FINAL; BECAUSE OF OUR POS. WE LANDED NORMALLY; I BELIEVE THE GREATEST FACTOR WAS DUE TO BEING BASED AT PWK; I WAS COMPLACENT IN THINKING I'M IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY; WHEREAS THE VECTORS AND APCH TO UGN IS VERY DIFFERENT. ALLOWING THE PNF TO CONTACT AND FBO FOR PAX CONVENIENCE WAS ILL TIMED. THE APCH/LNDG PHASES OF FLT REQUIRES ALL OF BOTH PLTS' ATTN. AN ADDED DISTR WAS THE GEAR WARNING HORN INTERMITTENTLY SOUNDING. IN CONCLUSION; TREAT EVERY APCH LIKE AN APCH TO A STRANGE ARPT IN BAD WX; PREPARE EARLY; AND KEEP BOTH PLTS INVOLVED DURING THE APCH.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.