Light transport cpr aircraft in descent to destination airport in den area. Reporter misheard cleared altitude and thought it was 5000 ft, but because that is below the area elevation, reporter realized he was too low and asked controller the cleared altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	377820
Time
Date	199708
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bjc
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den artcc : mteg
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	377820
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
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:

Inbound to bjc from dal heading about 270 degrees at 8000 ft, I was given a heading of about 310 degrees (direct to bjc) and a descent to 5000 ft. Altitude was preset into altitude alerter and read back to the controller. I turned to heading and started descent. After a few mins I realized we were pretty low. I stopped descent about 6500 ft and asked controller about the altitude. He said he had given us 8000 ft. I started climbing back to altitude but stopped at traffic pattern altitude at bjc since we were now on downwind. I am not used to flying in the denver area so 5000 ft did not seem low. But I really should have caught it when the controller gave me that low of an altitude. We have TCASII and GPWS and at no time did any of the warnings go off. At no time did I feel too close to the ground or other aircraft. Descent was stopped just a little below traffic pattern altitude for turbojets. Since it was VFR I was paying more attention outside the aircraft, watching for traffic, and looking for the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT CPR ACFT IN DSCNT TO DEST ARPT IN DEN AREA. RPTR MISHEARD CLRED ALT AND THOUGHT IT WAS 5000 FT, BUT BECAUSE THAT IS BELOW THE AREA ELEVATION, RPTR REALIZED HE WAS TOO LOW AND ASKED CTLR THE CLRED ALT.

Narrative: INBOUND TO BJC FROM DAL HDG ABOUT 270 DEGS AT 8000 FT, I WAS GIVEN A HDG OF ABOUT 310 DEGS (DIRECT TO BJC) AND A DSCNT TO 5000 FT. ALT WAS PRESET INTO ALT ALERTER AND READ BACK TO THE CTLR. I TURNED TO HDG AND STARTED DSCNT. AFTER A FEW MINS I REALIZED WE WERE PRETTY LOW. I STOPPED DSCNT ABOUT 6500 FT AND ASKED CTLR ABOUT THE ALT. HE SAID HE HAD GIVEN US 8000 FT. I STARTED CLBING BACK TO ALT BUT STOPPED AT TFC PATTERN ALT AT BJC SINCE WE WERE NOW ON DOWNWIND. I AM NOT USED TO FLYING IN THE DENVER AREA SO 5000 FT DID NOT SEEM LOW. BUT I REALLY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT WHEN THE CTLR GAVE ME THAT LOW OF AN ALT. WE HAVE TCASII AND GPWS AND AT NO TIME DID ANY OF THE WARNINGS GO OFF. AT NO TIME DID I FEEL TOO CLOSE TO THE GND OR OTHER ACFT. DSCNT WAS STOPPED JUST A LITTLE BELOW TFC PATTERN ALT FOR TURBOJETS. SINCE IT WAS VFR I WAS PAYING MORE ATTN OUTSIDE THE ACFT, WATCHING FOR TFC, AND LOOKING FOR THE ARPT.

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.