Possible altitude deviation due to misunderstood communication.

Attributes
ACN	304580
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fsm
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fsm
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	304580
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being radar vectored to the ILS runway 25 at ft. Smith. On base in the radar pattern, the controller cleared us to descend to 2000 ft (we were at 3000 ft), turn right heading 220 degrees to intercept the ILS, cleared approach. I read back the clearance. The other pilot and the navigation both confirmed that they heard '2000 ft.' after descending to 2000 ft it became obvious that we were too low. The published GS intercept altitude is 2697 and the final approach fix altitude is 2700 ft. I don't know if we misunderstood the clearance or if the controller gave us a wrong altitude. We continued the approach from 2000 ft and the landing was uneventful. Terrain clearance was no problem and we were in VMC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE ALTDEV DUE TO MISUNDERSTOOD COM.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING RADAR VECTORED TO THE ILS RWY 25 AT FT. SMITH. ON BASE IN THE RADAR PATTERN, THE CTLR CLRED US TO DSND TO 2000 FT (WE WERE AT 3000 FT), TURN R HDG 220 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE ILS, CLRED APCH. I READ BACK THE CLRNC. THE OTHER PLT AND THE NAV BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THEY HEARD '2000 FT.' AFTER DSNDING TO 2000 FT IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE TOO LOW. THE PUBLISHED GS INTERCEPT ALT IS 2697 AND THE FINAL APCH FIX ALT IS 2700 FT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE MISUNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC OR IF THE CTLR GAVE US A WRONG ALT. WE CONTINUED THE APCH FROM 2000 FT AND THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. TERRAIN CLRNC WAS NO PROB AND WE WERE IN VMC.

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.