Small aircraft asked if wanted transition to localizer then later told no could not have it. Altitud...

Attributes
ACN	211491
Time
Date	199205
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bkw airport : blf
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 5700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 425 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	211491
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying direct to beckley VOR when ZID asked if I wanted the transition off of beckley to the localizer, into bluefield (mercer county) airport. I had told him yes, I would take it. Then he came back about 5 mins later and said he couldn't give it, but expect radar vectors to the localizer. Just before crossing the beckley VOR, he told me to intercept the radial 175 degrees off the VOR and intercept the localizer. As I was crossing over the VOR, he told me to descend down to 5700 ft MSL. Instead I descended to 5200 ft MSL, 500 ft below ATC's request. I had remembered as I was descending down into the top of the clouds. At that time, I added full power and climbed to 5700 ft MSL. The problem started when ZID cleared me for the transition. I looked down onto the approach plate and it said 5000 ft MEA for the transition. Then he told me to still intercept the radial for the transition. All along I had 5000 ft in my head from the approach plate. I feel the problem would have never arose if ATC wouldn't have cleared me for the transition. Please take a look at the approach plate ILS 23 into bluefield and you will see 5000 ft for the MEA off of beckley VOR radial 175 degrees.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ASKED IF WANTED TRANSITION TO LOC THEN LATER TOLD NO COULD NOT HAVE IT. ALTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING DIRECT TO BECKLEY VOR WHEN ZID ASKED IF I WANTED THE TRANSITION OFF OF BECKLEY TO THE LOC, INTO BLUEFIELD (MERCER COUNTY) ARPT. I HAD TOLD HIM YES, I WOULD TAKE IT. THEN HE CAME BACK ABOUT 5 MINS LATER AND SAID HE COULDN'T GIVE IT, BUT EXPECT RADAR VECTORS TO THE LOC. JUST BEFORE XING THE BECKLEY VOR, HE TOLD ME TO INTERCEPT THE RADIAL 175 DEGS OFF THE VOR AND INTERCEPT THE LOC. AS I WAS XING OVER THE VOR, HE TOLD ME TO DSND DOWN TO 5700 FT MSL. INSTEAD I DSNDED TO 5200 FT MSL, 500 FT BELOW ATC'S REQUEST. I HAD REMEMBERED AS I WAS DSNDING DOWN INTO THE TOP OF THE CLOUDS. AT THAT TIME, I ADDED FULL PWR AND CLBED TO 5700 FT MSL. THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN ZID CLRED ME FOR THE TRANSITION. I LOOKED DOWN ONTO THE APCH PLATE AND IT SAID 5000 FT MEA FOR THE TRANSITION. THEN HE TOLD ME TO STILL INTERCEPT THE RADIAL FOR THE TRANSITION. ALL ALONG I HAD 5000 FT IN MY HEAD FROM THE APCH PLATE. I FEEL THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE NEVER AROSE IF ATC WOULDN'T HAVE CLRED ME FOR THE TRANSITION. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE APCH PLATE ILS 23 INTO BLUEFIELD AND YOU WILL SEE 5000 FT FOR THE MEA OFF OF BECKLEY VOR RADIAL 175 DEGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Small aircraft asked if wanted transition to localizer then later told no could not have it. Altitude deviation.