Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 2850; Flight Crew Type 600
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
During the RNAV (GPS) approach to runway 17 into SGR; we experienced two TA/RA's. The first was during the initial vectors for the approach. We were at 3000 feet just above an overcast layer when the first occurred. We saw the traffic visually as well. We started a shallow descent and a turn away from the traffic as shown by the VSI and TCAS. The controller noticed the traffic later after it was behind us by 2 miles. I believe she said it was a VFR target. During the recovery she descended us to 2000 feet and turned us to intercept the inbound course. Sometime during this phase we experienced the second TA/RA that told us to climb to roughly 2000 feet per minute which took us through the final approach course as well. We were IMC. Once clear of advisory; while establishing situational awareness of the approach; being re-vectored; and question about the traffic by ATC; we had descended below the 2000 feet altitude assigned; was VMC and had visual contact of the airport. We were cleared for the visual at this time and continued with the landing.
We are set up on the Navigation equipment for the RNAV (GPS) 17. Being vectored downwind for RNAV 17 at SGR; ATC cleared us from 3000 to 2000. We are in and out of cumulus clouds; at 2600 we get a TA/RA; not to climb. No problem we are descending to 2000; and we initiate a 10 degree right turn; because we spot the traffic; 12 o'clock and what looked like 300 above. We let ATC know what happened. We get a new heading of 270 maintain 2000. We did not overfly DIZGY (IAF) or EBOKE (IF) due to vectors and TA/RA event. ATC is busy talking to other planes but gets in 'turn left 180 maintain 2000'. We are in the turn; TCAS on 6 mile scale; still in and out of the clouds; and we get another TA/RA in RED and verbal to climb at 2000 FPM. We initiate and climb to 2500. I let ATC know about our second event. We are now 'clear of conflict'; and we have flown thru the inbound course; no problem.At this point I am not paying much attention to the pilot flying; but more about being outside; and trying to communicate with ATC; who in the middle of the second event; gives us 'turn 130 maintain 2000' instructions. The course needles are pointing behind us; assuming because we didn't fly close enough to the IAF or IF to activate. Pilot flying has lost situational awareness and wants to know the course to the final approach fix. I still haven't turned the heading bug to 130; it is still on 180. Neither of us notice that we were descending; while trying to regain situational awareness. We are now VFR and not thinking about altitude; until we were called out by ATC for low altitude alert (1200); should have been 2000. I'd say the sky was broken at about 1900; but ATIS has it at few 2500. We continued inbound and landed without further incident.
CE560XL flight crew received several RA's on approach to SGR along with a descent well below charted minimums related to loss of situational awareness.