Cessna Citation Sovereign (C680)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Procedure; Company Policy
I was acting as Check Airman for a route check. The event occurred on final approach. At 4;000 FT we were asked if we wanted the visual behind another aircraft. We declined when we were unable to acquire the aircraft. I could see the airport behind us but was behind us at a steep angle and [we] were just below the clouds. We were subsequently cleared for the GPS 6R [and told to] 'Maintain 3;000 until crossing the IAF.' The intercept vector was at a steep angle causing the autopilot to overshoot final and was setting up for a very large correction. The Pilot Flying intervened and began to fly the airplane manually. By this time the airport was well insight. Inside of the IAF to FAF the minimum is 2;700 then [a] descent to MDA. I called the runway insight to Approach Control and was switched to Tower. A few miles prior to FAF the pilot flying began a descent for landing and said 'Visual.' Ultimately we passed the FAF about 400 FT below FAF altitude. I had made note that we had not gotten officially cleared for the visual approach and debriefed the event to standard. The FAA Inspector did not agree that this could be dealt with as a debrief item and altitude deviation may need to be further investigated.
A FAA Inspector objected to a CE-680 Check Airman allowing the pilot flying to descend below the GPS approach FAF altitude in VMC conditions because ATC had not yet cleared the flight for a visual approach.