Altitude deviation. Air carrier unauthorized descent from assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	295240
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : srq
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual 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 : 125 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	295240
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	294314
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X heading and altitude of 5000 ft. Both pilots understood controller to say 'cleared for visual approach runway 32.' copilot read back 'cleared for visual approach runway 32.' pilot started descent from 5000 ft to 3000 ft. Passing 4000 ft controller asked what assigned altitude was. Copilot replied 'understood we were cleared for visual approach.' controller stated we were told to expect visual approach and maintain current altitude. Pilot leveled off at 3500 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. ACR UNAUTH DSCNT FROM ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ACR X HDG AND ALT OF 5000 FT. BOTH PLTS UNDERSTOOD CTLR TO SAY 'CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 32.' COPLT READ BACK 'CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 32.' PLT STARTED DSCNT FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT. PASSING 4000 FT CTLR ASKED WHAT ASSIGNED ALT WAS. COPLT REPLIED 'UNDERSTOOD WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH.' CTLR STATED WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH AND MAINTAIN CURRENT ALT. PLT LEVELED OFF AT 3500 FT.

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.