Air carrier flight crew descended from 5000 ft to 3000 ft prematurely. MD80, super 80.

Attributes
ACN	349799
Time
Date	199610
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	349799
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	349800
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ord approach said we were assigned 5000 ft until established at nolan, but you can maintain your present 3000 ft and 190 KTS till the marker. Nolan is 113.9/220/13.7 DME. Started down early on approach. Visual contact with ord was established about 15 DME.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC DSNDED FROM 5000 FT TO 3000 FT PREMATURELY. MD80, SUPER 80.

Narrative: ORD APCH SAID WE WERE ASSIGNED 5000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED AT NOLAN, BUT YOU CAN MAINTAIN YOUR PRESENT 3000 FT AND 190 KTS TILL THE MARKER. NOLAN IS 113.9/220/13.7 DME. STARTED DOWN EARLY ON APCH. VISUAL CONTACT WITH ORD WAS ESTABLISHED ABOUT 15 DME.

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.