<< >> NASA ASRS Report 352660, November 1996

C208B aircraft was cleared for the approach to cross the VOR at or above 7700 ft. Reporter pilot believed that cleared him to descend to 7700 ft from his present position, but he was not yet on the approach course. Approach controller called altitude alert and for reporter to climb immediately because he had descended below the MOCA.

Attributes
ACN	352660
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mso
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : mso
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8600 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	352660
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I had been cleared to and level at 10000 ft MSL. The approach controller 124.9 gave me the following clearance at 8 mi from the VOR, 'cross the VOR at or above 7700 ft, cleared for the VOR-C approach.' at 10000 ft MSL I had ground contact. At 8500 ft I was getting ready to call the visual when the controller called altitude alert, climb immediately. This transmission startled me so I stopped my descent and questioned the controller about the clearance. By this time I was over the VOR so I executed the approach. Had I been IMC I would not have started my descent until reaching the VOR. I feel that the controller should not have given me a clearance that put me below the MOCA which is 9800 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C208B ACFT WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH TO CROSS THE VOR AT OR ABOVE 7700 FT. RPTR PLT BELIEVED THAT CLRED HIM TO DSND TO 7700 FT FROM HIS PRESENT POS, BUT HE WAS NOT YET ON THE APCH COURSE. APCH CTLR CALLED ALT ALERT AND FOR RPTR TO CLB IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE HE HAD DSNDED BELOW THE MOCA.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN CLRED TO AND LEVEL AT 10000 FT MSL. THE APCH CTLR 124.9 GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING CLRNC AT 8 MI FROM THE VOR, 'CROSS THE VOR AT OR ABOVE 7700 FT, CLRED FOR THE VOR-C APCH.' AT 10000 FT MSL I HAD GND CONTACT. AT 8500 FT I WAS GETTING READY TO CALL THE VISUAL WHEN THE CTLR CALLED ALT ALERT, CLB IMMEDIATELY. THIS XMISSION STARTLED ME SO I STOPPED MY DSCNT AND QUESTIONED THE CTLR ABOUT THE CLRNC. BY THIS TIME I WAS OVER THE VOR SO I EXECUTED THE APCH. HAD I BEEN IMC I WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED MY DSCNT UNTIL REACHING THE VOR. I FEEL THAT THE CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN ME A CLRNC THAT PUT ME BELOW THE MOCA WHICH IS 9800 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.