Atx X descent to wrong assigned altitude below MVA. Pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	180276
Time
Date	199106
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roa tower : bdl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	180276
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Atx X were on a lifeguard trip descending into roa airport. It was clear at 11000 ft. Controller told us to descend to 4000 ft. We read back out of 11000 ft for 4000 ft. Reaching 4400 the controller said we were cleared to 5000 ft. We told him we had the airport in sight and he cleared us for the visual approach at that time. We then asked about the altitude, he said we could stay at 4000 ft, but the min vectoring altitude is 5000 ft. That there would be no problem as long as we had the terrain visible and the airport in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX X DSCNT TO WRONG ASSIGNED ALT BELOW MVA. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ATX X WERE ON A LIFEGUARD TRIP DSNDING INTO ROA ARPT. IT WAS CLR AT 11000 FT. CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO 4000 FT. WE READ BACK OUT OF 11000 FT FOR 4000 FT. REACHING 4400 THE CTLR SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND HE CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH AT THAT TIME. WE THEN ASKED ABOUT THE ALT, HE SAID WE COULD STAY AT 4000 FT, BUT THE MIN VECTORING ALT IS 5000 FT. THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM AS LONG AS WE HAD THE TERRAIN VISIBLE AND THE ARPT IN SIGHT.

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.