An SF340B flight crew advises approach controller of field in sight. Flight crew misinterps the clearance of 'join the downwind' for a visual authority/authorized to leave their assigned altitude of 2600 ft for traffic pattern altitude of 1600 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	389260
Time
Date	199712
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : srq
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 3700
ASRS Report	389260
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	389353
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were being vectored by approach control at 2600 ft. Cleared by approach to join downwind for runway 32. We believed we were cleared to descend to pattern altitude but approach only intended us to fly the downwind at 2600 ft. No conflicts observed. Supplemental information from acn 389353: after advising approach I had field in sight, approach controller advised 'join downwind runway 14.' I turned on the 45 degree to join downwind, and commenced a descent from 2600 ft MSL to 1600 ft MSL, the traffic pattern altitude. Prior to handing us off to tower, the controller asked us what altitude we were descending to with no qualifying or amplifying remarks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SF340B FLC ADVISES APCH CTLR OF FIELD IN SIGHT. FLC MISINTERPS THE CLRNC OF 'JOIN THE DOWNWIND' FOR A VISUAL AUTH TO LEAVE THEIR ASSIGNED ALT OF 2600 FT FOR TFC PATTERN ALT OF 1600 FT.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED BY APCH CTL AT 2600 FT. CLRED BY APCH TO JOIN DOWNWIND FOR RWY 32. WE BELIEVED WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO PATTERN ALT BUT APCH ONLY INTENDED US TO FLY THE DOWNWIND AT 2600 FT. NO CONFLICTS OBSERVED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 389353: AFTER ADVISING APCH I HAD FIELD IN SIGHT, APCH CTLR ADVISED 'JOIN DOWNWIND RWY 14.' I TURNED ON THE 45 DEG TO JOIN DOWNWIND, AND COMMENCED A DSCNT FROM 2600 FT MSL TO 1600 FT MSL, THE TFC PATTERN ALT. PRIOR TO HANDING US OFF TO TWR, THE CTLR ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE DSNDING TO WITH NO QUALIFYING OR AMPLIFYING REMARKS.

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.