Approach controller challenged aircraft altitude at 5000' after giving clearance to descent from 6000 to 2000'. Incident happened during approach to fll runway 9L.

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Attributes
ACN	103262
Time
Date	198901
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4950
ASRS Report	103262
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Being established on fortl 1 arrival to fll, 6000' MSL at 25 NM out, mia approach gave us the following descent clearance after giving intercept for 9L localizer 093 degree right inbound: 'air carrier X, descend to cross holid intersection 2000' or above.' verbatim readback was given with no correction. A low scattered layer of 2500' cumulus clouds were giving a bumpy inbound ride, thus we started our descent approximately 23 NM out. Approaching 5000', approach questioned our altitude and we stated our clearance to 2000'. Approach stated we were not given this and were to be at 6000'. We questioned our need to climb back to 6000' and apologized for the misunderstanding, knowing we were given a 2000' clearance. Approach said just to maintain 5000' and no other traffic conflicts were involved. Holid intersection is 19.5 DME from fll (IAF). Much to the contributing factors, this controller was working several aircraft into 9L approach sequence. As he questioned our descent our immediate need was to climb to 6000'. Nothing from him followed as we apologized for the misunderstanding and he knew it as being his error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR CHALLENGED ACFT ALT AT 5000' AFTER GIVING CLRNC TO DESCENT FROM 6000 TO 2000'. INCIDENT HAPPENED DURING APCH TO FLL RWY 9L.

Narrative: BEING ESTABLISHED ON FORTL 1 ARR TO FLL, 6000' MSL AT 25 NM OUT, MIA APCH GAVE US THE FOLLOWING DSCNT CLRNC AFTER GIVING INTERCEPT FOR 9L LOC 093 DEG R INBND: 'ACR X, DSND TO CROSS HOLID INTXN 2000' OR ABOVE.' VERBATIM READBACK WAS GIVEN WITH NO CORRECTION. A LOW SCATTERED LAYER OF 2500' CUMULUS CLOUDS WERE GIVING A BUMPY INBND RIDE, THUS WE STARTED OUR DSCNT APPROX 23 NM OUT. APCHING 5000', APCH QUESTIONED OUR ALT AND WE STATED OUR CLRNC TO 2000'. APCH STATED WE WERE NOT GIVEN THIS AND WERE TO BE AT 6000'. WE QUESTIONED OUR NEED TO CLB BACK TO 6000' AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING, KNOWING WE WERE GIVEN A 2000' CLRNC. APCH SAID JUST TO MAINTAIN 5000' AND NO OTHER TFC CONFLICTS WERE INVOLVED. HOLID INTXN IS 19.5 DME FROM FLL (IAF). MUCH TO THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, THIS CTLR WAS WORKING SEVERAL ACFT INTO 9L APCH SEQUENCE. AS HE QUESTIONED OUR DSCNT OUR IMMEDIATE NEED WAS TO CLB TO 6000'. NOTHING FROM HIM FOLLOWED AS WE APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND HE KNEW IT AS BEING HIS ERROR.

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.