Narrative:

I was on an instrument training flight, working on my instrument rating. Myself and my cfii were shooting a practice ILS runway 35 approach into azo. The controller was busy and he kept us at 3500 ft on a 170 degree vector. About 10 mi southwest on the GPS we were told to turn left to 090 degrees and descend down to 2500 ft. The published MSA within 25 NM of azo (austin) LOM/IAF is 3000 ft, and 2800 ft within 10 NM of azo. I accepted the clearance to descend to 2500 ft and turned left to 090 degrees for a left base on the ILS. I thought this was a bit odd that the controller gave us this 2500 ft clearance. I didn't question it initially. At the final approach clearance, the controller realized that he made a mistake and said something to the effect of, 'cessna xyz turn left 020 degrees, I'm sorry, I descended you down too far, maintain 2800 ft till established, you're 3 mi southwest of az, cleared for the ILS runway 35 approach, contact azo tower on 118.3.' I acknowledged saying that, 'I would indeed climb and maintain 2800 ft, cleared ILS runway 35 approach and over to tower, we'll see ya.' my instructor said that it was a bit odd that I was given a clearance to descend to 2500 ft, and next time I will be sure to challenge a clearance that will take me below the published minimums. I think that due to my inexperience with instrument flying I have a lot to learn yet. I definitely have learned an important lesson, and I am glad that my cfii did not say anything.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INSTRUCTOR AND INST STUDENT WERE DSNDED TOO LOW BY THE AZO APCH CTLR IN AZO CLASS E.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN INST TRAINING FLT, WORKING ON MY INST RATING. MYSELF AND MY CFII WERE SHOOTING A PRACTICE ILS RWY 35 APCH INTO AZO. THE CTLR WAS BUSY AND HE KEPT US AT 3500 FT ON A 170 DEG VECTOR. ABOUT 10 MI SW ON THE GPS WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L TO 090 DEGS AND DSND DOWN TO 2500 FT. THE PUBLISHED MSA WITHIN 25 NM OF AZO (AUSTIN) LOM/IAF IS 3000 FT, AND 2800 FT WITHIN 10 NM OF AZO. I ACCEPTED THE CLRNC TO DSND TO 2500 FT AND TURNED L TO 090 DEGS FOR A L BASE ON THE ILS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BIT ODD THAT THE CTLR GAVE US THIS 2500 FT CLRNC. I DIDN'T QUESTION IT INITIALLY. AT THE FINAL APCH CLRNC, THE CTLR REALIZED THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE AND SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, 'CESSNA XYZ TURN L 020 DEGS, I'M SORRY, I DSNDED YOU DOWN TOO FAR, MAINTAIN 2800 FT TILL ESTABLISHED, YOU'RE 3 MI SW OF AZ, CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 35 APCH, CONTACT AZO TWR ON 118.3.' I ACKNOWLEDGED SAYING THAT, 'I WOULD INDEED CLB AND MAINTAIN 2800 FT, CLRED ILS RWY 35 APCH AND OVER TO TWR, WE'LL SEE YA.' MY INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT IT WAS A BIT ODD THAT I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 2500 FT, AND NEXT TIME I WILL BE SURE TO CHALLENGE A CLRNC THAT WILL TAKE ME BELOW THE PUBLISHED MINIMUMS. I THINK THAT DUE TO MY INEXPERIENCE WITH INST FLYING I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN YET. I DEFINITELY HAVE LEARNED AN IMPORTANT LESSON, AND I AM GLAD THAT MY CFII DID NOT SAY ANYTHING.

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.