Narrative:

Clearance confusion due communication problems. Baq approach control had an almost unreadable transmit to us to descend into baq. We all heard that we were to descend to 2200 ft and report the baq VOR. We were down to 2200 ft at 17 DME north under VFR conditions. MEA was 6000 ft but in cavu condition. We proceeded at 2200 ft safely to expedite arrival. We gave courtesy call at 2200 ft and 17 DME north and controller was surprised to find us at 2200 ft and indicated he had wanted us at 4000 ft. We were surprised also due to our readback that we were descending to 2200 ft. We were told to proceed to baq and report the field. We did just that and landed uneventfully. Retrospect and thinking at the time told us that we should have stayed at MEA's under IFR but due excellent WX and good terrain brief we proceeded as previously described. I believe that the arrival control frequency was of such poor quality that it alone created the confusion. Safety was not compromised due visual separation. Separation of any potential traffic conflict with additional aid of TCASII only potential problem possible would be deviation from clearance but due to readback/hearback issues associated with extremely poor radio, I'm suggesting a higher degree of radio maintenance/function at baq arrival. Side note that departure about an hour later had clear and very understandable xmissions all the way out. Supplemental information from acn 413278: received clearance from FL330 to FL190 report FL220. Asked if we had airport in sight. Responded, 'looking for airport.' called airport in sight approximately 10 DME. Received visual approach behind another aircraft. Reviewing the MEA for this route it showed 6000 ft. Appropriate action would have been to stay at 6000 ft until baq VOR or runway in sight. Communication difficulty with baq approach frequency broken during almost all of their xmissions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727. UNREADABLE RADIO XMISSION FROM BAQ COLUMBIA RESULT IN A VISUAL DSCNT BELOW MSA.

Narrative: CLRNC CONFUSION DUE COM PROBS. BAQ APCH CTL HAD AN ALMOST UNREADABLE XMIT TO US TO DSND INTO BAQ. WE ALL HEARD THAT WE WERE TO DSND TO 2200 FT AND RPT THE BAQ VOR. WE WERE DOWN TO 2200 FT AT 17 DME N UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. MEA WAS 6000 FT BUT IN CAVU CONDITION. WE PROCEEDED AT 2200 FT SAFELY TO EXPEDITE ARR. WE GAVE COURTESY CALL AT 2200 FT AND 17 DME N AND CTLR WAS SURPRISED TO FIND US AT 2200 FT AND INDICATED HE HAD WANTED US AT 4000 FT. WE WERE SURPRISED ALSO DUE TO OUR READBACK THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 2200 FT. WE WERE TOLD TO PROCEED TO BAQ AND RPT THE FIELD. WE DID JUST THAT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. RETROSPECT AND THINKING AT THE TIME TOLD US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT MEA'S UNDER IFR BUT DUE EXCELLENT WX AND GOOD TERRAIN BRIEF WE PROCEEDED AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED. I BELIEVE THAT THE ARR CTL FREQ WAS OF SUCH POOR QUALITY THAT IT ALONE CREATED THE CONFUSION. SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED DUE VISUAL SEPARATION. SEPARATION OF ANY POTENTIAL TFC CONFLICT WITH ADDITIONAL AID OF TCASII ONLY POTENTIAL PROB POSSIBLE WOULD BE DEV FROM CLRNC BUT DUE TO READBACK/HEARBACK ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH EXTREMELY POOR RADIO, I'M SUGGESTING A HIGHER DEGREE OF RADIO MAINT/FUNCTION AT BAQ ARR. SIDE NOTE THAT DEP ABOUT AN HR LATER HAD CLR AND VERY UNDERSTANDABLE XMISSIONS ALL THE WAY OUT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 413278: RECEIVED CLRNC FROM FL330 TO FL190 RPT FL220. ASKED IF WE HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. RESPONDED, 'LOOKING FOR ARPT.' CALLED ARPT IN SIGHT APPROX 10 DME. RECEIVED VISUAL APCH BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. REVIEWING THE MEA FOR THIS RTE IT SHOWED 6000 FT. APPROPRIATE ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO STAY AT 6000 FT UNTIL BAQ VOR OR RWY IN SIGHT. COM DIFFICULTY WITH BAQ APCH FREQ BROKEN DURING ALMOST ALL OF THEIR XMISSIONS.

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.