Narrative:

Enroute to hobby with rapidly changing weather and field conditions; I was the pilot monitoring. We briefed and set up for localizer runway 22 at hou. The weather closed down arrivals to runway 22; and we were vectored by approach to the south of hobby; and told they were switching the field around for runway 04 arrivals. We were passed to final controller on a northwesterly heading at 5;000 feet. We checked on and were given a westerly course (I think heading 220-260) and a descent to 2;000 feet. I assumed this meant we would be getting right in. We continued to fly westbound on a downwind. The further out we flew I became more concerned about the MSA and the towers out to the west of hobby; and communicated this to the pilot flying. Passing 3;000 feet; I was going to call approach and ask for a turn back; when we got a call asking our altitude. I responded; 'we were descending to 2;000 feet; as previously cleared.' approach responded that was not for us; and climb to 3;000 feet. The lowest we saw was approximately 2;650 feet. We corrected to 3;000 feet. The rest of the approach was uneventful.we discussed the event after landing and we were both in agreement; we were turned and descended to 2;000 feet in the same radio call and we acknowledged with full call sign. I do not remember hearing another similar sounding call sign on approach. Both pilots believe we did as ATC instructed. Approach was busy; but crews were not stepping on each other. I should have queried the controller earlier about being descended through the MSA without an earlier vector back to the field.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain reported being vectored and descended below the MSA while on an extended downwind into HOU airport.

Narrative: Enroute to Hobby with rapidly changing weather and field conditions; I was the Pilot Monitoring. We briefed and set up for LOC Runway 22 at HOU. The weather closed down arrivals to Runway 22; and we were vectored by Approach to the south of Hobby; and told they were switching the field around for Runway 04 arrivals. We were passed to final Controller on a northwesterly heading at 5;000 feet. We checked on and were given a westerly course (I think heading 220-260) and a descent to 2;000 feet. I assumed this meant we would be getting right in. We continued to fly westbound on a downwind. The further out we flew I became more concerned about the MSA and the towers out to the west of Hobby; and communicated this to the Pilot Flying. Passing 3;000 feet; I was going to call Approach and ask for a turn back; when we got a call asking our altitude. I responded; 'We were descending to 2;000 feet; as previously cleared.' Approach responded that was not for us; and climb to 3;000 feet. The lowest we saw was approximately 2;650 feet. We corrected to 3;000 feet. The rest of the approach was uneventful.We discussed the event after landing and we were both in agreement; we were turned and descended to 2;000 feet in the same radio call and we acknowledged with full call sign. I do not remember hearing another similar sounding call sign on approach. Both Pilots believe we did as ATC instructed. Approach was busy; but crews were not stepping on each other. I should have queried the Controller earlier about being descended through the MSA without an earlier vector back to the field.

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.