DA40 pilot reports being cleared direct to shiny; descend and maintain 3;600 ft; cleared for the RNA...

Attributes
ACN	1191528
Time
Date	201407
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZBW.ARTCC
State Reference	NH
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	DA40 Diamond Star
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120 Flight Crew Total 1030 Flight Crew Type 240
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Miss Distance	Vertical 3000

Narrative:

I was VFR on top; enroute to 8b0. It was time to start my descent into the airport however; there was a solid cloud layer below me. I requested a 'pop-up' IFR flight plan into my destination with the GPS-D approach. I advised them that I had the weather at bml as the AWOS at my destination was unavailable. The approach clearance I received was as follows; '...proceed direct to shiny; descend and maintain 3;600 ft; cleared for the RNAV-D into rangely.' according to the approach plate; you are required to be at 6;000 ft while holding over shiny. I should have questioned this; but did not. I quickly noticed I was too low when the terrain advisories started to sound. I leveled off; and at that moment; in a very broken transmission; heard the controller tell me to climb and maintain 6;300 ft; so I expedited my climb and continued in the hold. Once reestablished; I proceeded with the approach and successfully landed at my destination. Don't assume you heard correctly. Don't assume the controller is always correct.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DA40 pilot reports being cleared direct to SHINY; descend and maintain 3;600 FT; Cleared for the RNAV-D into Rangely. Descent is initiated before noticing that the minimum altitude at SHINY is 6;000 FT. Very shortly terrain advisories begin to sound and the Controller issues a climb to 6;300 FT.

Narrative: I was VFR on top; enroute to 8B0. It was time to start my descent into the airport however; there was a solid cloud layer below me. I requested a 'pop-up' IFR flight plan into my destination with the GPS-D approach. I advised them that I had the weather at BML as the AWOS at my destination was unavailable. The approach clearance I received was as follows; '...proceed direct to SHINY; descend and maintain 3;600 FT; cleared for the RNAV-D into Rangely.' According to the approach plate; you are required to be at 6;000 FT while holding over SHINY. I should have questioned this; but did not. I quickly noticed I was too low when the terrain advisories started to sound. I leveled off; and at that moment; in a very broken transmission; heard the Controller tell me to climb and maintain 6;300 FT; so I expedited my climb and continued in the hold. Once reestablished; I proceeded with the approach and successfully landed at my destination. Don't assume you heard correctly. Don't assume the Controller is always correct.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

DA40 pilot reports being cleared direct to shiny; descend and maintain 3;600 ft; cleared for the RNAV-D into rangely. Descent is initiated before noticing that the minimum altitude at shiny is 6;000 ft. Very shortly terrain advisories begin to sound and the controller issues a climb to 6;300 ft.