Descent below assigned approach altitude.

Attributes
ACN	296151
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : w77
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fay
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 3460
ASRS Report	296151
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At the end of long cross country to complete long cross country requirement for the student's IFR rating, we received clearance for NDB approach to sanford. I understood approach controller to say maintain 3000 ft, cleared for NDB approach. Report procedure turn inbound. Student executed parallel entry to racetrack pattern procedure turn and I prompted him to descend to initial approach altitude after intercepting outbound leg. Controller contacted us and said that we were to maintain 3000 ft until procedure turn inbound. We were at 2400 ft at that point. I acknowledged and contacted approach. I may have misunderstood clearance but if clearance was what controller said, it would have been difficult to get down to MDA by missed approach point from 3000 ft altitude loss of 257 ft in 3.8 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSCNT BELOW ASSIGNED APCH ALT.

Narrative: AT THE END OF LONG XCOUNTRY TO COMPLETE LONG XCOUNTRY REQUIREMENT FOR THE STUDENT'S IFR RATING, WE RECEIVED CLRNC FOR NDB APCH TO SANFORD. I UNDERSTOOD APCH CTLR TO SAY MAINTAIN 3000 FT, CLRED FOR NDB APCH. RPT PROC TURN INBOUND. STUDENT EXECUTED PARALLEL ENTRY TO RACETRACK PATTERN PROC TURN AND I PROMPTED HIM TO DSND TO INITIAL APCH ALT AFTER INTERCEPTING OUTBOUND LEG. CTLR CONTACTED US AND SAID THAT WE WERE TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL PROC TURN INBOUND. WE WERE AT 2400 FT AT THAT POINT. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND CONTACTED APCH. I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC BUT IF CLRNC WAS WHAT CTLR SAID, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET DOWN TO MDA BY MISSED APCH POINT FROM 3000 FT ALT LOSS OF 257 FT IN 3.8 MI.

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.