A C560 crew misunderstood descent clearance and descended below the MVA on arrival to hnd, nv.

Attributes
ACN	639139
Time
Date	200412
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors arrival star : clarr 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	639139
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route hnd from lax, arrived via the clarr 2 arrival. Crossed clarr at 13000 ft. Then given vectors for the visual to runway 17R at hnd. We were then cleared to 7000 ft and given several small turns to come into hnd from the southwest. Before reaching 7000 ft, we were cleared for 4000 ft. Altitude was set for 4000 ft by the first officer and confirmed by me (PF). After passing 5000 ft at about 4500 ft, ATC queried us on altitude and were told 4500 ft descending to 4000 ft. They said we should be at 5000 ft and they were getting a terrain alert. We had already stopped at 4500 ft before the query thinking that it looked kind of low for a vectoring altitude. About the same time we called the airport in sight and were cleared for the visual and xferred to tower. We then continued descent to airport and landed uneventfully. At no time was the safety of the aircraft in jeopardy. Supplemental information from acn 639226: in the future I will be more cognizant of vectoring altitudes below MSA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C560 CREW MISUNDERSTOOD DSCNT CLRNC AND DSNDED BELOW THE MVA ON ARR TO HND, NV.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE HND FROM LAX, ARRIVED VIA THE CLARR 2 ARR. CROSSED CLARR AT 13000 FT. THEN GIVEN VECTORS FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 17R AT HND. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 7000 FT AND GIVEN SEVERAL SMALL TURNS TO COME INTO HND FROM THE SW. BEFORE REACHING 7000 FT, WE WERE CLRED FOR 4000 FT. ALT WAS SET FOR 4000 FT BY THE FO AND CONFIRMED BY ME (PF). AFTER PASSING 5000 FT AT ABOUT 4500 FT, ATC QUERIED US ON ALT AND WERE TOLD 4500 FT DSNDING TO 4000 FT. THEY SAID WE SHOULD BE AT 5000 FT AND THEY WERE GETTING A TERRAIN ALERT. WE HAD ALREADY STOPPED AT 4500 FT BEFORE THE QUERY THINKING THAT IT LOOKED KIND OF LOW FOR A VECTORING ALT. ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND XFERRED TO TWR. WE THEN CONTINUED DSCNT TO ARPT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. AT NO TIME WAS THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT IN JEOPARDY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 639226: IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE MORE COGNIZANT OF VECTORING ALTS BELOW MSA.

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.