Narrative:

Was asked to maintain 3000 ft or above by approach. Was given a TA. While looking for and finding the traffic, I also observed the airport a few mi ahead. Approach informed I was at 2700 ft. I immediately climbed back to 3000 ft. Approach told me to expect a right base to runway 27 and to begin a descent. At less than 2 mi from the airport and still at about 2500 ft, approach told me to contact the tower. By the time contact was made with the tower, I was virtually over the airport and still almost 2000 ft at midfield. Tower pointed out proximity to airport (expectation of right base?). I requested and received permission for a left downwind. Heard tower conversations with another aircraft doing practice approachs. Landed uneventfully, but was 'urged' by tower to exit runway promptly, which I did. Altitude drop from 3000 ft to 2700 ft was probably a result of a combination of factors: 1) almost 4 hours of night flying, 2 of which were at 7500 ft. 2) inattn to altitude while looking for traffic. 3) kind of subconscious concern about seeing airport and still being at 3000 ft, with airport at elevation of 221 ft and less than 10 mi away. Would suggest either quicker tower contact and/or approach 'vectoring' for 'proper runway entry.' the confign of the TRSA and proximity of the 2 airports (maxwell AFB and montgomery regional) must make approachs from the north seem high when going to mgm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT HAS ALTDEV AND POSSIBLE CLASS D ENTRY WHEN HE IS OPERATING IN AN UNFAMILIAR TRSA FOR ARR AT THE UNDERLYING CLASS D ARPT.

Narrative: WAS ASKED TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT OR ABOVE BY APCH. WAS GIVEN A TA. WHILE LOOKING FOR AND FINDING THE TFC, I ALSO OBSERVED THE ARPT A FEW MI AHEAD. APCH INFORMED I WAS AT 2700 FT. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 3000 FT. APCH TOLD ME TO EXPECT A R BASE TO RWY 27 AND TO BEGIN A DSCNT. AT LESS THAN 2 MI FROM THE ARPT AND STILL AT ABOUT 2500 FT, APCH TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. BY THE TIME CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE TWR, I WAS VIRTUALLY OVER THE ARPT AND STILL ALMOST 2000 FT AT MIDFIELD. TWR POINTED OUT PROX TO ARPT (EXPECTATION OF R BASE?). I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION FOR A L DOWNWIND. HEARD TWR CONVERSATIONS WITH ANOTHER ACFT DOING PRACTICE APCHS. LANDED UNEVENTFULLY, BUT WAS 'URGED' BY TWR TO EXIT RWY PROMPTLY, WHICH I DID. ALT DROP FROM 3000 FT TO 2700 FT WAS PROBABLY A RESULT OF A COMBINATION OF FACTORS: 1) ALMOST 4 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING, 2 OF WHICH WERE AT 7500 FT. 2) INATTN TO ALT WHILE LOOKING FOR TFC. 3) KIND OF SUBCONSCIOUS CONCERN ABOUT SEEING ARPT AND STILL BEING AT 3000 FT, WITH ARPT AT ELEVATION OF 221 FT AND LESS THAN 10 MI AWAY. WOULD SUGGEST EITHER QUICKER TWR CONTACT AND/OR APCH 'VECTORING' FOR 'PROPER RWY ENTRY.' THE CONFIGN OF THE TRSA AND PROX OF THE 2 ARPTS (MAXWELL AFB AND MONTGOMERY REGIONAL) MUST MAKE APCHS FROM THE N SEEM HIGH WHEN GOING TO MGM.

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.