B767-300 crew descended 1000 ft below the MSA at ltba.

Attributes
ACN	501238
Time
Date	200102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ltba.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival : 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 : 230 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	501238
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	501209
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Near the end of a 10 hour flight, turkish controller cleared us to descend to 2000 ft. All 3 pilots heard 2000 ft and we read back 2000 ft. When level, approach control told us we were supposed to be at 3000 ft, so we initiated a climb to 3000 ft. Flight continued to normal landing at istanbul. Most of the turkish controllers are easy to understand. This particular female controller is very hard to understand and we frequently had to ask her to repeat clrncs. This was my third trip into this airport and my 2 previous trips we landed on runway 6 coming in over the water. This trip we landed south on runway 18. We were over water when we descended to 2000 ft, so I was not uncomfortable at that altitude. I failed to realize that on this approach, I still had to fly over the peninsula before reaching the airport. Judgementally, I should have been suspicious of being that low 25 or so mi from the field.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 CREW DSNDED 1000 FT BELOW THE MSA AT LTBA.

Narrative: NEAR THE END OF A 10 HR FLT, TURKISH CTLR CLRED US TO DSND TO 2000 FT. ALL 3 PLTS HEARD 2000 FT AND WE READ BACK 2000 FT. WHEN LEVEL, APCH CTL TOLD US WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 3000 FT, SO WE INITIATED A CLB TO 3000 FT. FLT CONTINUED TO NORMAL LNDG AT ISTANBUL. MOST OF THE TURKISH CTLRS ARE EASY TO UNDERSTAND. THIS PARTICULAR FEMALE CTLR IS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND AND WE FREQUENTLY HAD TO ASK HER TO REPEAT CLRNCS. THIS WAS MY THIRD TRIP INTO THIS ARPT AND MY 2 PREVIOUS TRIPS WE LANDED ON RWY 6 COMING IN OVER THE WATER. THIS TRIP WE LANDED S ON RWY 18. WE WERE OVER WATER WHEN WE DSNDED TO 2000 FT, SO I WAS NOT UNCOMFORTABLE AT THAT ALT. I FAILED TO REALIZE THAT ON THIS APCH, I STILL HAD TO FLY OVER THE PENINSULA BEFORE REACHING THE ARPT. JUDGEMENTALLY, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPICIOUS OF BEING THAT LOW 25 OR SO MI FROM THE FIELD.

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.