SF34 crew was vectored below MVA by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	421022
Time
Date	199811
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mbs
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	descent 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 : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	421022
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

During vectors to the ILS we were issued a descent to 2100 ft. I was the PF. The first officer read back 2100 ft and I acknowledged the readback in accordance with our operations manual by verbally responding and by pointing at the altitude selector. My first officer noticed a radio tower off our left wing and below us. I asked what the altitude of the tower was, and the controller responded by asking us to verify our altitude. I responded '2100 ft as assigned.' the controller responded that the MVA was 2400 ft at our location. We immediately climbed to 2400 ft. On the ground, I called the tower to make sure there was no problem and I was told that, no, the incident was not a problem. Adding to the situation was the fact that the controller working our flight appeared to be in training. The controller that answered our query about the radio tower was a different one and she had previously taken over control from the trainee on a few other occasions with different aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF34 CREW WAS VECTORED BELOW MVA BY ATC.

Narrative: DURING VECTORS TO THE ILS WE WERE ISSUED A DSCNT TO 2100 FT. I WAS THE PF. THE FO READ BACK 2100 FT AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THE READBACK IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR OPS MANUAL BY VERBALLY RESPONDING AND BY POINTING AT THE ALT SELECTOR. MY FO NOTICED A RADIO TWR OFF OUR L WING AND BELOW US. I ASKED WHAT THE ALT OF THE TWR WAS, AND THE CTLR RESPONDED BY ASKING US TO VERIFY OUR ALT. I RESPONDED '2100 FT AS ASSIGNED.' THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT THE MVA WAS 2400 FT AT OUR LOCATION. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 2400 FT. ON THE GND, I CALLED THE TWR TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO PROB AND I WAS TOLD THAT, NO, THE INCIDENT WAS NOT A PROB. ADDING TO THE SIT WAS THE FACT THAT THE CTLR WORKING OUR FLT APPEARED TO BE IN TRAINING. THE CTLR THAT ANSWERED OUR QUERY ABOUT THE RADIO TWR WAS A DIFFERENT ONE AND SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN OVER CTL FROM THE TRAINEE ON A FEW OTHER OCCASIONS WITH DIFFERENT ACFT.

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.