Narrative:

On arrival into bakersfield, ca, ZLA handed us off to bakersfield approach. We (my first officer and I) were established outbnd on the 344 degree radial of the gorman VOR and were approximately 4-5 mi northeast of it. Shortly after checking onto the frequency, bakersfield approach cleared us for the ILS runway 30R approach cross lebec intersection at 9000'. I, the pilot not flying (PNF), glanced at the chart, and told the first officer, flight flying (PF) to go ahead and start descending to 4500'. Just reaching 8500' the controller said, 'I show you at 8500', my minimum vectoring altitude for that area is 9000', confirm your altitude.' I paused without saying anything, and simultaneously moved the transponder switch to stand-by. The controller asked again, 'confirm altitude.' I said stand-by, I refused to believe we were at the wrong altitude and was studying the approach plate intently to find out where I had gone wrong, when the controller came back on and said, 'cross arvin at or above 6500' cleared for the approach.' in looking at the approach plate, I simply misread the note, plus completely misunderstood the 14.4 mileage marker that I highlighted on the plate. I assumed it meant 14.4 total mi from gorman VOR, not lebec intersection. Several other pilots I know personally also read the approach plate and made the same mistake I did, or did not interpret the information clearly and quickly. Supplemental information from acn 132628: I understand commercial charting company has had multiple contacts on this situation and a change will be included on the very next revision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT ON GMN TRANSITION TO ILS RWY 30R AT BFL MISREADS CHART AND ENDS UP 1000' LOW AT LEBEC, WOULD HAVE BEEN 4500' LOW OR PLASTERED TO MOUNTAIN IF CTLR HADN'T INTERVENED.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO BAKERSFIELD, CA, ZLA HANDED US OFF TO BAKERSFIELD APCH. WE (MY F/O AND I) WERE ESTABLISHED OUTBND ON THE 344 DEG RADIAL OF THE GORMAN VOR AND WERE APPROX 4-5 MI NE OF IT. SHORTLY AFTER CHECKING ONTO THE FREQ, BAKERSFIELD APCH CLRED US FOR THE ILS RWY 30R APCH CROSS LEBEC INTXN AT 9000'. I, THE PLT NOT FLYING (PNF), GLANCED AT THE CHART, AND TOLD THE F/O, FLT FLYING (PF) TO GO AHEAD AND START DESCENDING TO 4500'. JUST REACHING 8500' THE CTLR SAID, 'I SHOW YOU AT 8500', MY MINIMUM VECTORING ALT FOR THAT AREA IS 9000', CONFIRM YOUR ALT.' I PAUSED WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVED THE TRANSPONDER SWITCH TO STAND-BY. THE CTLR ASKED AGAIN, 'CONFIRM ALT.' I SAID STAND-BY, I REFUSED TO BELIEVE WE WERE AT THE WRONG ALT AND WAS STUDYING THE APCH PLATE INTENTLY TO FIND OUT WHERE I HAD GONE WRONG, WHEN THE CTLR CAME BACK ON AND SAID, 'CROSS ARVIN AT OR ABOVE 6500' CLRED FOR THE APCH.' IN LOOKING AT THE APCH PLATE, I SIMPLY MISREAD THE NOTE, PLUS COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD THE 14.4 MILEAGE MARKER THAT I HIGHLIGHTED ON THE PLATE. I ASSUMED IT MEANT 14.4 TOTAL MI FROM GORMAN VOR, NOT LEBEC INTXN. SEVERAL OTHER PLTS I KNOW PERSONALLY ALSO READ THE APCH PLATE AND MADE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID, OR DID NOT INTERPRET THE INFO CLEARLY AND QUICKLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 132628: I UNDERSTAND COMMERCIAL CHARTING COMPANY HAS HAD MULTIPLE CONTACTS ON THIS SITUATION AND A CHANGE WILL BE INCLUDED ON THE VERY NEXT REVISION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.