I occasionally see descent below the CTA step on a visual approach.
Precisely why I never call "visual" until I'm either in the zone or at the last assignable level before the zone.
I'm curious as to how much of this is FMS related or pilot managed on the more modern types (A330/320, B777, B737 NG)
Pilot-managed, sometimes via the FMS, with a great deal of difficulty, especially when not tracking direct to the field. In this day and age (big, very efficient "gliders"), it is a travesty that a 777 has to level off to avoid going OCTA on approach so that Dick and his no-radio mates can swan around at will.