Narrative:

Approach controller cleared us for visual approach runway 31, but maintain 2000 ft until 3 mi final, contact tower. We were coming from the northeast. Tower said to turn left to heading of 180 degrees and join a 6 mi final for runway 31. At about 5 1/2 mi from airport, tower said 'you can turn inbound now for runway 31.' we did and were straight in on final. VASI showed well high. White-over-white, we began a descent to get on glide path and at about 1800 ft, tower said he needed us to climb back to 2000 ft until 3 mi final. We promptly complied with the instructions and within about 1/2 mi the tower cleared us to descend and land. This was clearly our mistake, but kind of an unusual request to keep us at 2000 ft until 3 mi final -- this is much steeper than 3 degrees and the VASI is yelling to descend. Usually they let you descend normally and keep your pattern to within 2 mi (to avoid nearby navy cabinias pattern). They did not this time due to B737 traffic on runway 35. It would help if the tower would repeat the maintain 2000 ft instructions when clearing us to turn final. It had been quite a while (time wise) since the previous controller (approach) had given us the 'maintain 2000 ft till 3 mi final' instruction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION ON FINAL APCH TO CRP, TX. APCH CTL GAVE A MILEAGE AND ALT RESTR ON FINAL THAT WAS FORGOTTEN BY THE PLT WHEN THE VASI INDICATED HE WAS HIGH ON PROFILE.

Narrative: APCH CTLR CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH RWY 31, BUT MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL 3 MI FINAL, CONTACT TWR. WE WERE COMING FROM THE NE. TWR SAID TO TURN L TO HDG OF 180 DEGS AND JOIN A 6 MI FINAL FOR RWY 31. AT ABOUT 5 1/2 MI FROM ARPT, TWR SAID 'YOU CAN TURN INBOUND NOW FOR RWY 31.' WE DID AND WERE STRAIGHT IN ON FINAL. VASI SHOWED WELL HIGH. WHITE-OVER-WHITE, WE BEGAN A DSCNT TO GET ON GLIDE PATH AND AT ABOUT 1800 FT, TWR SAID HE NEEDED US TO CLB BACK TO 2000 FT UNTIL 3 MI FINAL. WE PROMPTLY COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 MI THE TWR CLRED US TO DSND AND LAND. THIS WAS CLRLY OUR MISTAKE, BUT KIND OF AN UNUSUAL REQUEST TO KEEP US AT 2000 FT UNTIL 3 MI FINAL -- THIS IS MUCH STEEPER THAN 3 DEGS AND THE VASI IS YELLING TO DSND. USUALLY THEY LET YOU DSND NORMALLY AND KEEP YOUR PATTERN TO WITHIN 2 MI (TO AVOID NEARBY NAVY CABINIAS PATTERN). THEY DID NOT THIS TIME DUE TO B737 TFC ON RWY 35. IT WOULD HELP IF THE TWR WOULD REPEAT THE MAINTAIN 2000 FT INSTRUCTIONS WHEN CLRING US TO TURN FINAL. IT HAD BEEN QUITE A WHILE (TIME WISE) SINCE THE PREVIOUS CTLR (APCH) HAD GIVEN US THE 'MAINTAIN 2000 FT TILL 3 MI FINAL' INSTRUCTION.

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.