B757 crew descending into las on a vector were cleared to an altitude that was below MVA.

Attributes
ACN	567201
Time
Date	200211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : l30.tracon
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate 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 : 300 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	567201
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	567495
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Approach control changed runways from runway 25L to runway 1R, which has no IFR approach. Aircraft was on descending vector for intercept to final and changed controller. When checking in with new controller, we advised descending to 6000 ft. Controller said to climb to 7000 ft as we were below the MVA at 6500 ft in descent. The controller asked who had given us 6000 ft and we stated that the previous controller had. He said it was not a problem and we climbed to 7000 ft. Supplemental information from acn 567495: the mere hint of a discrepancy between our perceptions of the descent clearance caused us to question which was the truly desired altitude by ATC, even though they had acknowledged our transmission of a descent to 6000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW DSNDING INTO LAS ON A VECTOR WERE CLRED TO AN ALT THAT WAS BELOW MVA.

Narrative: APCH CTL CHANGED RWYS FROM RWY 25L TO RWY 1R, WHICH HAS NO IFR APCH. ACFT WAS ON DSNDING VECTOR FOR INTERCEPT TO FINAL AND CHANGED CTLR. WHEN CHKING IN WITH NEW CTLR, WE ADVISED DSNDING TO 6000 FT. CTLR SAID TO CLB TO 7000 FT AS WE WERE BELOW THE MVA AT 6500 FT IN DSCNT. THE CTLR ASKED WHO HAD GIVEN US 6000 FT AND WE STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS CTLR HAD. HE SAID IT WAS NOT A PROB AND WE CLBED TO 7000 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 567495: THE MERE HINT OF A DISCREPANCY BTWN OUR PERCEPTIONS OF THE DSCNT CLRNC CAUSED US TO QUESTION WHICH WAS THE TRULY DESIRED ALT BY ATC, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD ACKNOWLEDGED OUR XMISSION OF A DSCNT TO 6000 FT.

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.