Controller disagrees with previously assigned altitude for approach to phl, PA.

Attributes
ACN	483410
Time
Date	200008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	483410
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Descending through 3000 ft on a 360 degree heading, approach issued us a descent to 1500 ft on a 360 degree heading and both the captain and I confirmed 1500 ft in the window expecting a turn onto the runway 27R localizer VMC. Approach then cleared us for the approach, maintain 2100 ft until established, cleared ILS runway 27R. We then informed him we were at 1500 ft as assigned, and he said he gave us 2100 ft. Instead of arguing, we immediately complied up to 2100 ft and caught the GS and continued the approach with no further incident. The whole event was VMC with the airport in sight. Approach handed us to tower and nothing was said. It was the belief of both the captain and myself that it was an ATC/approach error as we were sure we were given 1500 ft for the visual approach, but approach gave us a last min ILS clearance since we didn't call out the airport early.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR DISAGREES WITH PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ALT FOR APCH TO PHL, PA.

Narrative: DSNDING THROUGH 3000 FT ON A 360 DEG HDG, APCH ISSUED US A DSCNT TO 1500 FT ON A 360 DEG HDG AND BOTH THE CAPT AND I CONFIRMED 1500 FT IN THE WINDOW EXPECTING A TURN ONTO THE RWY 27R LOC VMC. APCH THEN CLRED US FOR THE APCH, MAINTAIN 2100 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, CLRED ILS RWY 27R. WE THEN INFORMED HIM WE WERE AT 1500 FT AS ASSIGNED, AND HE SAID HE GAVE US 2100 FT. INSTEAD OF ARGUING, WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED UP TO 2100 FT AND CAUGHT THE GS AND CONTINUED THE APCH WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WHOLE EVENT WAS VMC WITH THE ARPT IN SIGHT. APCH HANDED US TO TWR AND NOTHING WAS SAID. IT WAS THE BELIEF OF BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF THAT IT WAS AN ATC/APCH ERROR AS WE WERE SURE WE WERE GIVEN 1500 FT FOR THE VISUAL APCH, BUT APCH GAVE US A LAST MIN ILS CLRNC SINCE WE DIDN'T CALL OUT THE ARPT EARLY.

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.