Btv TRACON controller believed he issued a descent to 7000 feet to an aircraft. The pilots thought t...

Attributes
ACN	1404493
Time
Date	201611
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	BTV.Airport
State Reference	VT
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

We were descending into burlington airport. I believe we were at 12000 feet. I was flying pilot. I believed I heard ATC issue clearance down to 3000 feet. Captain was speaking to ATC and read back 3000 feet. We began our descent and approximately around 3300 feet we received the GPWS alert to pull up. I immediately applied full power and pitched up. Ten seconds later ATC issued a clearance up to 7000 feet. We safely land and the captain calls the ATC facility for feedback on tapes. He informs me that ATC has said that they were doing training; but on the tapes they had only cleared us to 7000 feet. So captain and I take responsibility for hearing the wrong instruction. I am familiar with the area. When I dialed in 3000 feet I thought that was a little low and the weather had deteriorated more than forecast and on the ATIS. I believe I put terrain mode on after descending through 5000 feet and it should have been sooner. I knew exactly where I was but did not put together the whole picture of approach plates; terrain mode; and an altitude that I should have known to be too low for that area and questioned what I thought was a descent to 3000 feet. I'm glad I had plenty of rest and followed the warnings of the aircraft immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BTV TRACON Controller believed he issued a descent to 7000 feet to an aircraft. The pilots thought they were cleared to 3000 feet. They descended below the MVA.

Narrative: We were descending into Burlington Airport. I believe we were at 12000 feet. I was flying pilot. I believed I heard ATC issue clearance down to 3000 feet. Captain was speaking to ATC and read back 3000 feet. We began our descent and approximately around 3300 feet we received the GPWS alert to pull up. I immediately applied full power and pitched up. Ten seconds later ATC issued a clearance up to 7000 feet. We safely land and the captain calls the ATC facility for feedback on tapes. He informs me that ATC has said that they were doing training; but on the tapes they had only cleared us to 7000 feet. So Captain and I take responsibility for hearing the wrong instruction. I am familiar with the area. When I dialed in 3000 feet I thought that was a little low and the weather had deteriorated more than forecast and on the ATIS. I believe I put terrain mode on after descending through 5000 feet and it should have been sooner. I knew exactly where I was but did not put together the whole picture of approach plates; terrain mode; and an altitude that I should have known to be too low for that area and questioned what I thought was a descent to 3000 feet. I'm glad I had plenty of rest and followed the warnings of the aircraft immediately.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Btv TRACON controller believed he issued a descent to 7000 feet to an aircraft. The pilots thought they were cleared to 3000 feet. They descended below the MVA.