FO REPORTS TWO INSTANCES OF THE CAPTAIN INTENTIONALLY IGNORING THE MANDATORY 3000 FT MSL CROSSING AT ASALT ON THE VOR 13L APCH AT JFK.
Synopsis
FO REPORTS TWO INSTANCES OF THE CAPTAIN INTENTIONALLY IGNORING THE MANDATORY 3000 FT MSL CROSSING AT ASALT ON THE VOR 13L APCH AT JFK.
Narrative
KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY DSNDING BELOW A MANDATORY ALT AT ASALT ON THE VOR 13L APCH TO JFK. THERE WERE 2 SEPARATE INSTANCES OF THIS ALT BUST. JUL/XA/08: VOR 13L APCH AT JFK. CAPT WAS THE PF. DAY VFR VISIBILITY UNRESTR. WITH PLENTY OF TIME; THE ACFT WAS CONFIGURED WITH FLAPS 1 DEG AND ASSIGNED A SPD OF 180 KTS AT 3000 FT. ABOUT 1/2 MI PRIOR TO THE FIX ASALT; THE CAPT SELECTS (PULLS) 'VERT SPD' AND SELECTS 800 FT DOWN. I RECHK THE APCH CHART AND NOTICE THE MANDATORY (IN CAPITAL FONT) XING ALT OF ASALT IS 3000 FT. I OBSERVE 2800 FT ON THE ALTIMETER XING ASALT -- 200 FT BELOW THE MANDATORY ALT. I LOOK OVER AT THE CAPT TO SEE IF HE WAS DISTR AND CONTINUE MY OBSERVATION PLT DUTIES EXPECTING TO BE ENLIGHTENED BY THE TIME WE REACH THE NEXT FIX. WE LAND UNEVENTFULLY. NOTHING WAS DISCUSSED OR EXPLAINED. JUL/XB/08: CAPT WAS THE PF. THE SET-UP WAS A CARBON COPY OF THE DAY EARLIER. SAME APCH 3000 FT STABLE VFR CAVOK. ABOUT 1/2 MI PRIOR TO THE FIX ASALT; THE CAPT PULLS VERT SPD AND SELECTS A DSCNT RATE. THE ACFT CROSSED ASALT 2700 FT (300 FT BELOW THE MANDATORY ALT). I LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE CAPT AND ASK; 'WHY DO YOU DO THAT?' 'WHY DO YOU KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY BUST THAT MANDATORY ALT?' HE LOOKED BACK; BUT DID NOT RESPOND. I WAS SHOCKED AND AMAZED; BUT DID NOT PERSIST AS THIS WAS A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE CAPT NEVER RESPONDED TO MY QUESTION.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.