Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft descended below assigned altitude resulting in the approach controller intervening and assigning an immediate turn and climb to avoid high terrain.

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Attributes
ACN	267270
Time
Date	199404
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	267270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Receiving radar vectors to an ILS runway 21 into spokane international, aircraft descended and leveled off at 5000 ft MSL. Both pilots understood this to be the assigned altitude. Mountains and lighted towers were visible above the overcast. Pilots assumed a turn to join the approach. Controller assigned an immediate left turn and climb to 6000 ft MSL. Controller advised 6000 ft MSL was assigned altitude. Approach and landing completed without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT RESULTING IN THE APCH CTLR INTERVENING AND ASSIGNING AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND CLB TO AVOID HIGH TERRAIN.

Narrative: RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO AN ILS RWY 21 INTO SPOKANE INTL, ACFT DSNDED AND LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT MSL. BOTH PLTS UNDERSTOOD THIS TO BE THE ASSIGNED ALT. MOUNTAINS AND LIGHTED TWRS WERE VISIBLE ABOVE THE OVCST. PLTS ASSUMED A TURN TO JOIN THE APCH. CTLR ASSIGNED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN AND CLB TO 6000 FT MSL. CTLR ADVISED 6000 FT MSL WAS ASSIGNED ALT. APCH AND LNDG COMPLETED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.