Air carrier large transport missed crossing altitude restriction and started descent prematurely.

Attributes
ACN	104956
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : straight in arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 245 flight time total : 15385 flight time type : 511
ASRS Report	104956
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	104944
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were level at 6000' MSL, about 30 mi west of fll on 9L localizer course. Then we were cleared for an approach to runway 9L and to cross pionn intersection at 3000'. We took that to mean that we could go down to 3000' now since there were no restrictions on our approach charts. At about 4200' MSL the controller advised us that our clearance was to maintain 6000' until 20 DME of fll and then he told us to maintain 4000' and later cleared us for the approach. The only reason that we left 6000' that far out of fll was to get below some clouds that were giving us a rather bad ride. If the controller had given us a clearance to maintain 6000' until 20 DME of fll, we don't remember it. To correct anything like this from happening again, I think the controller should not have given us an approach clearance until we were 20 mi from fll, and then cleared us for ILS 9L approach to cross pionn intersection at 3000'. We the pilots should have told the controller we were leaving 6000' also.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT MISSED CROSSING ALT RESTRICTION AND STARTED DESCENT PREMATURELY.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000' MSL, ABOUT 30 MI W OF FLL ON 9L LOC COURSE. THEN WE WERE CLRED FOR AN APCH TO RWY 9L AND TO CROSS PIONN INTXN AT 3000'. WE TOOK THAT TO MEAN THAT WE COULD GO DOWN TO 3000' NOW SINCE THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS ON OUR APCH CHARTS. AT ABOUT 4200' MSL THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT OUR CLRNC WAS TO MAINTAIN 6000' UNTIL 20 DME OF FLL AND THEN HE TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 4000' AND LATER CLRED US FOR THE APCH. THE ONLY REASON THAT WE LEFT 6000' THAT FAR OUT OF FLL WAS TO GET BELOW SOME CLOUDS THAT WERE GIVING US A RATHER BAD RIDE. IF THE CTLR HAD GIVEN US A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 6000' UNTIL 20 DME OF FLL, WE DON'T REMEMBER IT. TO CORRECT ANYTHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN US AN APCH CLRNC UNTIL WE WERE 20 MI FROM FLL, AND THEN CLRED US FOR ILS 9L APCH TO CROSS PIONN INTXN AT 3000'. WE THE PLTS SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE LEAVING 6000' ALSO.

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.