Flight crew of medium large transport deviated from last assigned altitude on approach to den.

Attributes
ACN	173976
Time
Date	199103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7600 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	173976
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Partial destruction of report motivated a callback. Reporter confirmed flight was late at night and altitude deviation resulted from misinterp of their altitude assignment or they may have taken a clearance intended for the flight ahead of them. Lowest terrain clearance noted was approximately 1300'. WX was deteriorating rapidly at the airport but approach and landing was west/O further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG DEVIATED FROM LAST ASSIGNED ALT ON APCH TO DEN.

Narrative: CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. PARTIAL DESTRUCTION OF RPT MOTIVATED A CALLBACK. RPTR CONFIRMED FLT WAS LATE AT NIGHT AND ALT DEV RESULTED FROM MISINTERP OF THEIR ALT ASSIGNMENT OR THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN A CLRNC INTENDED FOR THE FLT AHEAD OF THEM. LOWEST TERRAIN CLRNC NOTED WAS APPROX 1300'. WX WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY AT THE ARPT BUT APCH AND LNDG WAS W/O FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.