Narrative:

On a VFR descent to a visual downwind to aus runway 31L, we were cleared to 4000 ft MSL. 4000 ft was set in the altitude alert window. At 4300 ft the approach controller said that we had been cleared to 5000 ft and to maintain that altitude. We bottomed out at 4100 ft and climbed back to 5000 ft. Shortly thereafter we were cleared and executed a visual approach to landing. On the ground I called and talked to the approach supervisor. He said they had not pulled the tapes to see if we had been cleared to 4000 ft or 5000 ft, but he said there had been no conflict and he planned no further action. Our company has good procedures in that the PNF talks to ATC, sets the assigned altitude in the window and says the altitude aloud to the PF. The PF then repeats the altitude aloud to confirm he heard it correctly. We followed this procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS CONFUSION REGARDING DSCNT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON A VFR DSCNT TO A VISUAL DOWNWIND TO AUS RWY 31L, WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT MSL. 4000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERT WINDOW. AT 4300 FT THE APCH CTLR SAID THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 5000 FT AND TO MAINTAIN THAT ALT. WE BOTTOMED OUT AT 4100 FT AND CLBED BACK TO 5000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE CLRED AND EXECUTED A VISUAL APCH TO LNDG. ON THE GND I CALLED AND TALKED TO THE APCH SUPVR. HE SAID THEY HAD NOT PULLED THE TAPES TO SEE IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 4000 FT OR 5000 FT, BUT HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO CONFLICT AND HE PLANNED NO FURTHER ACTION. OUR COMPANY HAS GOOD PROCS IN THAT THE PNF TALKS TO ATC, SETS THE ASSIGNED ALT IN THE WINDOW AND SAYS THE ALT ALOUD TO THE PF. THE PF THEN REPEATS THE ALT ALOUD TO CONFIRM HE HEARD IT CORRECTLY. WE FOLLOWED THIS PROC.

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.