Aircraft leveled off at the wrong altitude which placed the aircraft below the MVA for that area.

Attributes
ACN	166707
Time
Date	199012
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt tower : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	166707
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	167023
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 12/90 we were issued our takeoff clearance (runway 36L). We understood it to be turn left 310 degree and climb to 3000'. Since our flight was only about 20 mins and 40 mi (clt-hku), we didn't question it. We took off behind an medium large transport Y that had not even finished his takeoff roll and was rolling down the runway (runway 36L) a couple hundred yds in front of us, which gave us even more reason to think the altitude restriction was right. A thought that since our takeoff was so close behind the medium large transport Y that he would be climbing over us at the normal 4000' and that would give us proper sep. About 10 mi from the airport the controller asked us if we were climbing to 4000'(we had already leveled off at 3000'). We said no because we were cleared 3000' for the final. He responded that we were to immediately climb to 4000' because he had an altitude alert due to some towers at 3200' located 15 mi northwest of the field. We climbed to 4000' and was cleared direct hku.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT LEVELED OFF AT THE WRONG ALT WHICH PLACED THE ACFT BELOW THE MVA FOR THAT AREA.

Narrative: ON 12/90 WE WERE ISSUED OUR TKOF CLRNC (RWY 36L). WE UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE TURN L 310 DEG AND CLB TO 3000'. SINCE OUR FLT WAS ONLY ABOUT 20 MINS AND 40 MI (CLT-HKU), WE DIDN'T QUESTION IT. WE TOOK OFF BEHIND AN MLG Y THAT HAD NOT EVEN FINISHED HIS TKOF ROLL AND WAS ROLLING DOWN THE RWY (RWY 36L) A COUPLE HUNDRED YDS IN FRONT OF US, WHICH GAVE US EVEN MORE REASON TO THINK THE ALT RESTRICTION WAS R. A THOUGHT THAT SINCE OUR TKOF WAS SO CLOSE BEHIND THE MLG Y THAT HE WOULD BE CLBING OVER US AT THE NORMAL 4000' AND THAT WOULD GIVE US PROPER SEP. ABOUT 10 MI FROM THE ARPT THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE CLBING TO 4000'(WE HAD ALREADY LEVELED OFF AT 3000'). WE SAID NO BECAUSE WE WERE CLRED 3000' FOR THE FINAL. HE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE TO IMMEDIATELY CLB TO 4000' BECAUSE HE HAD AN ALT ALERT DUE TO SOME TWRS AT 3200' LOCATED 15 MI NW OF THE FIELD. WE CLBED TO 4000' AND WAS CLRED DIRECT HKU.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.