GA small aircraft inexperienced pilot descended to MEA on STAR without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	91298
Time
Date	198807
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lhs
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	91298
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My assigned altitude as I approached the lhs VOR was 9000' MSL. After crossing the VOR I descended to 7800' MSL, then 7000' MSL on the lhs 170 degree right. Immediately upon leveling off at 7000' MSL, 7 DME south of lhs, center called requesting my altitude. Center then informed me that the published altitudes on the STAR are minimums, not assigned altitudes, and that a filed STAR did not authorize descent west/O authorization by ATC. This STAR was the first I had ever flown, either in training or PIC. I always thought the STAR clearance constituted authorization to descend. Upon returning home I checked 3 popular instrument training texts I own and found none contained text outlining what the published altitudes meant. Consequently my training and experience were inadequate to the task. Center acknowledged it was a common misconception among pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA INEXPERIENCED PLT DESCENDED TO MEA ON STAR WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: MY ASSIGNED ALT AS I APCHED THE LHS VOR WAS 9000' MSL. AFTER XING THE VOR I DSNDED TO 7800' MSL, THEN 7000' MSL ON THE LHS 170 DEG R. IMMEDIATELY UPON LEVELING OFF AT 7000' MSL, 7 DME S OF LHS, CENTER CALLED REQUESTING MY ALT. CENTER THEN INFORMED ME THAT THE PUBLISHED ALTS ON THE STAR ARE MINIMUMS, NOT ASSIGNED ALTS, AND THAT A FILED STAR DID NOT AUTHORIZE DSCNT W/O AUTHORIZATION BY ATC. THIS STAR WAS THE FIRST I HAD EVER FLOWN, EITHER IN TRNING OR PIC. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE STAR CLRNC CONSTITUTED AUTHORIZATION TO DSND. UPON RETURNING HOME I CHKED 3 POPULAR INSTRUMENT TRNING TEXTS I OWN AND FOUND NONE CONTAINED TEXT OUTLINING WHAT THE PUBLISHED ALTS MEANT. CONSEQUENTLY MY TRNING AND EXPERIENCE WERE INADEQUATE TO THE TASK. CENTER ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION AMONG PLTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.