Narrative:

Approaching opaca intersection we were assigned a heading of 020 degrees and altitude of 2000'. I read back the clearance to hnl approach. Approximately 1-2 mi south of the localizer and while leveling at 2000', hnl approach directed an immediate climb to 3000' and a right turn to heading 070 degrees to intercept the localizer and to report the runway in sight. We initiated the climbing right turn and I called the runway in sight. We were then cleared for the visibility approach. Landing was uneventful. I felt that due to the urgency in the controller's voice in directing us to climb to 3000', he had mistakenly assigned us 2000' instead of 3000' initially. Either that, or we copied an incorrect altitude and were subject to being accused of an altitude deviation. However, I did read back 2000' and the copilot did set 2000' in the altitude alert. Contributing factor: we had a jammed stabilizer and were dealing with an abnormal procedure which called for a flaps 15 degrees landing during the vectors to the localizer. The stabilizer subsequently freed itself during the final descent and we made a normal flaps 30 degrees landing. I don't know for a fact whether there ever was an actual altitude problem. I was never notified or asked to call anyone. We remained within the limits of the TCA. I decided to file this report just in case.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT REPORTS RECEIVING AND READING BACK A DESCENT TO MAINTAIN 2000' ALT, BUT ATC BELIEVES FLT ONLY CLEARED TO MAINTAIN 3000'.

Narrative: APCHING OPACA INTXN WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG OF 020 DEGS AND ALT OF 2000'. I READ BACK THE CLRNC TO HNL APCH. APPROX 1-2 MI S OF THE LOC AND WHILE LEVELING AT 2000', HNL APCH DIRECTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 3000' AND A RIGHT TURN TO HDG 070 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND TO RPT THE RWY IN SIGHT. WE INITIATED THE CLBING RIGHT TURN AND I CALLED THE RWY IN SIGHT. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I FELT THAT DUE TO THE URGENCY IN THE CTLR'S VOICE IN DIRECTING US TO CLB TO 3000', HE HAD MISTAKENLY ASSIGNED US 2000' INSTEAD OF 3000' INITIALLY. EITHER THAT, OR WE COPIED AN INCORRECT ALT AND WERE SUBJECT TO BEING ACCUSED OF AN ALT DEVIATION. HOWEVER, I DID READ BACK 2000' AND THE COPLT DID SET 2000' IN THE ALT ALERT. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: WE HAD A JAMMED STABILIZER AND WERE DEALING WITH AN ABNORMAL PROC WHICH CALLED FOR A FLAPS 15 DEGS LNDG DURING THE VECTORS TO THE LOC. THE STABILIZER SUBSEQUENTLY FREED ITSELF DURING THE FINAL DSCNT AND WE MADE A NORMAL FLAPS 30 DEGS LNDG. I DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT WHETHER THERE EVER WAS AN ACTUAL ALT PROB. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OR ASKED TO CALL ANYONE. WE REMAINED WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE TCA. I DECIDED TO FILE THIS RPT JUST IN CASE.

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.